western australian department of education proposed public

Western Australian Department of Education Proposed Public School Leadership Strategy

Proposed Public School Leadership Strategy 2

The development of a school leadership strategy

Learning First was commissioned to advise the WA Department of Education (the Department) in developing a comprehensive school leadership strategy that incorporates the full leadership lifecycle of identifying, nurturing, developing and supporting aspiring, beginning, current and senior leaders.

It is our belief that a leadership strategy is only effective if it is customised to the system in which it is to be implemented and will further progress its directions and reforms. This strategy is about building on the strengths of WA school leadership and the reform context that shapes it.

The beginning point of our work was to understand the approach to public school leadership in WA, which we found to have strong foundations and would therefore be a natural springboard for improvement. While our proposed strategy focuses on finding the “gaps” and strengthening those areas, Learning First acknowledges the existing work in school leadership as sound. The identification of issues should not be read as a deficit, but rather, as a bold move to solidify and enhance public school leadership in this state.

Our proposed school leadership strategy recognises and expands upon the significant reforms in school education throughout WA that have affected school leadership. Increased flexibility and control over staffing and funding arrangements have fundamentally shifted the approach to public school leadership across WA. Policy reform of this nature creates significant opportunities and potential for growth.

The role of the principal in WA schools therefore continues to evolve. Leadership identity and capability need to change as well to adapt to a more performance oriented system. The situation analysis identified key strengths of the Western Australian system and school leadership and described important areas where the Department requires further progress to achieve best practice across all components of a leadership strategy. This school leadership strategy takes these findings and develops a comprehensive approach to developing the high quality school leaders that meet WA’s unique needs.

This document synthesizes the rationale for the strategy and the strategy’s key policies and implementation considerations. It also provides illustrative examples of how all of the policies fit together to create an environment where high quality school leaders are cultivated and school leaders of all levels in all schools feel recognised and supported.

Learning First commends this proposal to the WA Department of Education for its consideration.

Ben Jensen, Learning First


Approach to developing the strategy

Learning First has an iterative, co-constructed approach to developing the Western Australian Department of Education Proposed Public School Leadership Strategy (the leadership strategy): Extensive consultations enabled the Situation Analysis to be developed. Findings from that analysis have driven the development of the leadership strategy.

The leadership strategy does not envisage a top-down approach. Mandated initiatives are not favoured. Instead, the strategy enables central office (or another institution) to set priorities, provide structures, tools and support to schools and require evidence on how they are improving teaching and learning. This allows school leaders to shape and drive change tied to system objectives.

Iterative approach

WA system leaders

March consultations

Global experts

Ongoing feedback

This leadership strategy was reiterated with continual input and feedback from multiple sources

• The development of this leadership strategy was an iterative process. Initial thinking was drafted, feedback was sought and the strategy was updated and developed accordingly.

• The initial strategy contained a set of policies that were then prioritised and fleshed out further. This included adding details such as a timeline, implementation considerations, sequencing, and cost implications

• Feedback was essential for the iterative approach. Representatives of the WA department and international experts with experience in implementing leadership strategies were consulted and their ideas fed into this process.

Situation Analysis – Key findings Strategy

Data analysis

Consultations with stakeholders

Policies and actions

Implementation considerations

Part A: Strategy

Introduction

Overview of Strategy

The Future of Leadership in WA

Part B: Policy areas

1. Talent Identification and Selection

2. Leadership Development

3. Performance Management

4. System Leadership

Part C: Implementation approach

Implementation Considerations

Communications and Engagement Recommendations

Evaluation Approach Recommendations

Governance and Leadership



Successful students • Achieve their academic potential

• Have mastery of basic literacy and numeracy skills

• Are technologically competent

• Are adept at seeking out and using information to solve problems

• Are able to think things through for themselves and show initiative, not wait for direction

• Have a strong sense of being part of a community

WA has developed a clear vision

Effective teachers • Build positive relationships with their

students

• Have high expectations of students

• Personalise the learning for their students

• Monitor the progress of all their students

• Constantly reflect on how well they are getting through to their students

• Always search for better ways of teaching those students who are not responding

Good schools • Students are at the front and centre

• There are clear expectations

• Teachers are supported

• The leadership team provides an inspiring educational vision and puts practical measures in place to achieve the vision

• The resources of the school are marshalled behind the vision

• Schools are open and accountable, sharing information about their performance and using evidence to inform their improvement efforts

Source: WA Classroom First Strategy

INTRODUCTION


This is how the leadership strategy fits in with WA’s other strategic directions.

INTRODUCTION

Diagram © WA Department of Education


The situation analysis identified four leadership priorities

WA’s High Performance High Care strategic plan set school leadership as a system priority for WA. This comprehensive leadership strategy aims to develop a holistic and connected approach to leadership development across WA. WA school education needs to

identify, nurture, develop and support all school leaders. The situation analysis identified four key leadership priorities:

The overall objective of the comprehensive leadership strategy is to develop strong and empowering leadership in every WA public school and across the whole system.

Leaders who lead others to improve student learning

Leaders who set clear performance expectations and have professional conversations that result in actions to increase performance

Leaders who take responsibility for the overall health and improvement of all WA schools

Leaders who effectively operationalise the key steps of school improvement

Leaders ensure teachers and other staff are always improving instruction to improve student learning. Leaders feel confident in their role, sharing their knowledge and developing others so that they can always be working towards the ultimate goal of improving student learning.

Leaders set clear expectations for performance and, as a part of accountability, have effective professional conversations with their staff that result in actions to improve their performance. Leaders learn and continuously develop as a collective, embracing and encouraging feedback from their peers.

Leaders look beyond their own schools, have experience in multiple contexts and take responsibility for the overall health and improvement of the school system as a whole. Leaders give back to, support, and share their knowledge and experience with others across the system to achieve whole-system improvement.

Leaders effectively develop and implement a strong school improvement model where identified actions lead to demonstrable progress in raising teacher quality and student outcomes.

INTRODUCTION

Part A: Strategy

Introduction















The situation analysis shaped the four policy areas that the strategy will focus on

Situation Analysis Key findings

Policies and actions


Strategy

Data analysis

Consultations with stakeholders

Situation Analysis – Key findings Policy areas

1. Talent identification and selection

2. Leadership development

3. Performance management

4. System leadership

• There are pockets of talent identification but it is ad-hoc and disjointed. • There is consistency of what is expected in new school leaders. Principals emphasised the importance of being able

to lead a group of teachers to improve student learning. • The recruitment process is too narrow and does not consistently guarantee the most suitable candidate will get the

job. • There is not currently a leadership supply crisis but there is potential for a future shortage due to the age profile of

school leaders.

• Some effective development and training exists, but there is a lack of proper evaluation and links to system priorities. • The next generation of school leaders are eager if the opportunities are right.

• There is a need to strengthen professional conversations and develop a systemic culture of feedback and performance management.

• The identity of the Western Australian school leader is shifting and some school leaders are starting to see themselves as able to assist improvement across a system of schools.

• There are mixed experiences with collaboration between schools. • There is a lack of mobility between regions.

OVERVIEW OF STRATEGY


The situation analysis shaped the four policy areas that the strategy will focus on

Policy areas





• Many pre-principal roles are not structured to prepare future principals to lead teachers to improve student outcomes. • Some schools are very proactive in their succession planning but across the system it is limited and inconsistent. There

is little formal succession planning (with limited data to assist with this). Filling vacancies regularly takes precedence over identifying talent (particularly in regional and remote schools).

• The principal recruitment and selection process does not connect to performance management and therefore relies too heavily on information from an application and short interview.

• There is not enough focus on the non-operational elements of leadership, such as relational skills or emotional intelligence, when identifying, developing and selecting talent.

• Transition and induction programs can be improved. Some new principals do not feel adequately supported and many mentioned the Graduate Teacher Program as an example of effective induction.

• The Principal Advisory Team and other principal support teams are well-regarded and offer the support that principals need. Many principals expressed an interest in having greater access to these kinds of supports.

• Leadership development in regional areas is particularly important because there are a greater number of vacancies. • Some professional development is too short, disjointed and operational. • Level 3 teaching principals face unique challenges that are not sufficiently acknowledged by the system. • The median age of those in current pre-principal roles indicates that they are not on a promotional progression but

instead these roles are occupied by people who may not aspire to the principalship. This could be adversely affecting the leadership development opportunities available to aspiring principals.

• Young leaders (in middle management positions) want to succeed but do not know the career pathways of how to get there.

• Development programs are inconsistent and not available for all stages of a leader’s career.

• There is variation in principals’ satisfaction with their performance management • Some think there is not enough feedback on a principal’s leadership. This is particularly the case in regional areas.

• Some networks are working well to provide cross-school collaboration but others are lacking. • There are opportunities in the networks but currently their purpose is not clear. • People are not sure what the next step on the career progression is after being a Level 6 principal for 8-10 years. • Leadership is challenging where the school context is complex and people feel stretched. • It is desirable for leaders to have different experiences in numerous regions and at multiple levels of the system as this

allows them to develop a system perspective.

Situation Analysis – Detailed findings



Each policy area contains multiple specific policy actions


Policy actions

1.1 Better talent identification: Facilitate talent identification in schools through guidance on talent identification for current leaders, recognise those who identify talent through performance management, provide clear pathways for young leaders and collect performance management data on emerging leaders

1.2 Better succession planning: Ensure someone is responsible for succession planning within a school and centrally so that they can conduct advanced planning and monitor potential successors

1.3 Better selection process: Create a more comprehensive selection process that aligns to leadership priorities, utilises performance management data and acknowledges the value of expertise and multiple contexts

1.4 Better transition: Provide guidance, time and support for effective transitions

1.5 Better data: Use performance management data to improve talent identification and selection


Policy actions

2.1 Establish leadership development schools: Select leadership development schools to help develop the next generation of leaders through on-the-job experiences

2.2 Develop emerging talent: Create a fast track talent management program for high potential candidates

2.3 Better and targeted principal preparation and differentiated development programs: Set clear objectives for training and require programs to be evaluated against system objectives and leadership priorities

2.4 Provide access to mentors for all principals: Expand the Principal Advisory Team (PAT) to provide access to support for all principals and develop a mentoring framework

2.5 Target country regions for extra development: Offer additional support for principals in targeted regional and remote schools to strengthen their development and institute an executive principal model for clusters of small regional schools to mentor and train beginning and/or inexperienced principals


Policy actions

3.1 Assess the level of support principals receive based on analysis of experience and performance: Use a combination of data and professional judgement to differentiate levels of principal performance

3.2 Offer different levels of support and feedback on a principal’s performance: Recommend differentiated levels of support for principals so they can implement an effective school improvement process to improve student outcomes

3.3 Systematically collect performance management data: Systematically collect performance management data to inform system decisions on selection, development and succession planning

3.4 Develop a stronger performance management culture and skills: Strengthen the quality of performance management to focus professional conversations on teacher and leader performance to improve student outcomes


Policy actions

4.1 Create more system leadership opportunities: Create capability leaders who provide expertise and support to other principals and facilitate the creation of principal learning teams as part of repurposed networks

4.2 Increase peer support: Create a school pairing program where schools share knowledge and provide support to one another

4.3 Increase mobility: Explore options to increase mobility among senior leaders including consideration of fixed term contracts and limited tenure

4.4 Acknowledge system leaders: Recognise system leadership in multiple ways (including selection decisions)

4.5 Enable better coordination: Provide effective coordination across all policy areas and actions linking across schools, regions and central office – this could be achieved through a new Department leadership talent team

Policy outcomes: Create a strong pool of potential leaders by identifying talent early, offering structured development opportunities, and then comprehensively assessing talent for promotion.

Policy outcomes: Ensure all current and future leaders are continually improving. Each has access to a mentor, targeted and differentiated leadership training, feedback, opportunities for collaboration, and experience in multiple contexts.

Policy outcomes: Performance management process is strengthened through greater collaboration, differentiation and feedback, and increased accountability for school performance and improvement. Data is collected and used to inform judgement about performance and selection.

Policy outcomes: All leaders develop a system perspective and are expected to engage in system leadership, share knowledge, participate in strong networks, and help develop talent in other schools.



The policy areas build on one another and at times overlap

Talent identification and selection

• Leaders identify talent by using performance management data

• Performance data is also used during the selection process to make it more comprehensive

Performance management • Data collected during the

performance management process is used to support talent identification, selection, and development decisions

System leadership • Many development

opportunities are created though system leadership opportunities

• System leaders share knowledge that helps the development of others

Leadership development • Specific, structured

development opportunities are offered to those identified during talent identification



How the situation analysis informed the policy actions: 1. Talent identification and selection


1.5 Better data: • Connect talent identification and selection to performance

management data. • Continuously refine the selection process and criteria based on

performance of selected candidates.

Policy outcomes: Create a strong pool of potential leaders by identifying talent early, offering structured development opportunities, and then comprehensively assessing talent for promotion.

• There are pockets of talent identification but it is ad-hoc and disjointed. • Many pre-principal roles are not structured to prepare future principals to lead teachers to

improve student outcomes. • There is not currently a leadership supply crisis but there is potential for a future shortage due

to the age profile of school leaders. • There is consistency of what is expected in new school leaders. Principals emphasised the

importance of being able to lead a group of teachers to improve student learning.

• Some schools are very proactive in their succession planning but across the system it is limited and inconsistent. There is little formal succession planning (with limited data to assist with this). Filling vacancies regularly takes precedence over identifying talent (particularly in regional and remote schools).

• Talent identification can be accidental and leadership preparation ad-hoc.

• The recruitment process is too narrow and does not consistently guarantee the most suitable candidate will get the job.






1.1 Better talent identification: • Provide guidance on how to identify and develop talent. • Encourage leaders to spend time on talent identification. • Ensure there are clearly articulated pathways for talent. • In the long-term, use performance management data to identify

talent.

1.4 Better transition: • Ensure system accountability for school transitions. • Issue high-level guidance on transition. • Begin the selection process earlier. • Provide support for early transition.

1.3 Better selection process: • Expand selection activities to be more comprehensive. • Link selection criteria to the leadership priorities. • Link performance management data to the selection process.

1.2 Better succession planning: • Ensure an appointed actor is responsible for the succession planning • Conduct early succession planning. • Use performance management data in succession planning

decisions.

The situation analysis told us



Actions for policy implementation: 1. Talent identification and selection

Provide guidance for principals on how to identify and develop talent based on leadership priorities.

Encourage leaders to spend time on talent identification by emphasising this in performance management conversations and recognising those who promote strong talent.

Ensure there are clearly articulated pathways for talent – including structured development opportunities – so that everyone knows what the next step is after talent identification.

In the longer-term, use performance management data to identify talent.

1.1 Better talent identification

Ensure an appointed actor is responsible for the succession planning, recruitment, selection and transition process (not just the outgoing/incoming principal).

Conduct advanced planning (i.e. years in advance where possible) of an upcoming vacancy so that needs are anticipated and the search process can start before a position becomes vacant.

Undertake identification and development of potential successors, which involves collecting performance management data to determine who is ready.

1.2 Better succession planning

Ensure system accountability for school transitions so it is not the sole responsibility of the outgoing/incoming principal.

Issue high-level guidance on the components of an effective transition.

Begin the selection process earlier so that there is effective time for transition.

Provide support for early transition.

1.4 Better transition

Expand selection activities to be more comprehensive (e.g. contacting referees not only those listed by the candidate but others who may have worked with him/her).

Ensure selection criteria links (delete) to the leadership priorities, and acknowledges the value of expertise and multiple contexts (e.g. evidence of leading teaching to improve student learning, evidence of being system leaders, etc.).

Link performance management data to the selection process so there is more comprehensive information about each candidate.

1.3 Better selection process

Connect talent identification and selection to performance management data.

Continuously refine the selection process and criteria based on performance of selected candidates.

1.5 Better data



How the situation analysis informed the policy actions: 2. Leadership development

2.5 Target country regions for extra development: • Offer additional support for principals at regional and remote schools. • Create executive principals who oversee clusters of small schools in regional

locations.



• The median age of those in current pre-principal roles indicates that they are not on a promotional progression but instead these roles are occupied by people who may not aspire to the principalship. This could be adversely affecting the leadership development opportunities available to aspiring principals.


• The next generation of school leaders are eager if the opportunities are right.


• Some effective development and training exists, but there is a lack of proper evaluation and links to system priorities.

• The Principal Advisory Team (PAT) and other principal support teams are well-regarded and offer the support that principals need. Many principals expressed an interest in having greater access to these kinds of supports.

• Leadership development in regional areas is particularly important because there are a greater number of vacancies.

• Some professional development is too short, disjointed and operational. • Level 3 teaching principals face unique challenges that are not sufficiently

acknowledged by the system.

2.1 Establish leadership development schools:

• Select leadership development schools to help develop the next generation of leaders through on-the-job experiences.

2.4 Provide access to mentors for all principals:

• Expand the PAT.

2.3 Better and targeted principal preparation and differentiated development programs: • Set clear objectives for training. • Encourage principals to attend training through selection and performance

management criteria. • Create and mandate an evaluative framework.

2.2 Develop emerging talent:

• Create a fast track talent management program for high potential candidates.

The situation analysis told us:

2. Leadership development Policy outcomes: Ensure all current and future leaders are continually improving. Each has access to a mentor, targeted and differentiated leadership training, feedback, opportunities for collaboration, and experience in multiple contexts.



Actions for policy implementation: 2. Leadership development

Select leadership development schools to help develop the next generation of leaders through on-the-job experiences.

2.1 Establish leadership development schools

Create a fast track talent management program for high potential candidates. The program could include targeted intensive training, mentoring, work shadowing and an internship at a leadership development school.

2.2 Develop emerging talent

Expand the PAT to provide access to support for all principals and develop a mentoring framework.

2.4 Provide access to mentors for all principals

Set clear objectives for training (based on system objectives and leadership priorities).

Design selection and performance management criteria that will motivate principals to attend training in the system’s leadership priorities.

Create an evaluative framework and mandate training program evaluation for WA training providers.

2.3 Better and targeted principal preparation and differentiated

development programs Offer additional support for principals

in regional and remote schools. They will receive targeted development and support relevant to the leadership context.

Create executive principals for clusters of small schools in regional locations. These principals mentor and train beginning and/or inexperienced principals in their cluster.

2.5 Target country regions for extra development




How the situation analysis informed the policy actions: 3. Performance management

• There is variation in principals’ satisfaction with their performance management.

• There is variation in principals’ satisfaction with their performance management. • Some think there is not enough feedback on a principal’s leadership. This is

particularly the case in regional areas.


• Talent identification can be accidental and leadership preparation is ad-hoc.

3.1 Assess the level of support principals receive based on analysis of experience and performance:

• Use a combination of data and professional judgement to differentiate levels of principal performance.

3.3 systematically collect performance management data:

• Systematically collect performance management data so that it can inform system decisions on selection, development and succession planning.

3.2 Offer different levels of support and feedback on a principal’s performance:

• Recommend differentiated levels of support for principals so they can implement an effective school improvement process to improve student outcomes.


Policy outcomes: Performance management process is strengthened through greater collaboration, differentiation and feedback, and increased accountability for school performance and improvement. Data is collected and used to inform judgement about performance and selection.


• There is variation in principals’ satisfaction with their performance management. • Some think there is not enough feedback on a principal’s leadership. This is

particularly the case in regional areas.

3.4 Develop a stronger performance management culture and skills:

• Strengthen the quality of performance management to focus professional conversations on teacher and leader performance to improve student outcomes.



Use a combination of data and professional judgement to differentiate levels of principal performance.

3.1 Assess the level of support principals receive based on analysis of experience and performance:

Recommend differentiated levels of support for principals so they can implement an effective school improvement process to improve student outcomes.

3.2 Offer different levels of support and feedback on a principal’s performance

Actions for policy implementation: 3. Performance management

Systematically collect performance management data so that it can inform system decisions on selection, development and succession planning.

3.3 Systematically collect performance management data

Strengthen the quality of performance management to focus professional conversations on teacher and leader performance to improve student outcomes.

3.4 Develop a stronger performance management culture and skills



How the situation analysis informed the policy actions: 4. System leadership

• Some networks are working well to provide cross-school collaboration but others are lacking. • There are opportunities in the networks but currently their purpose is not clear. • People are not sure what the next step on the career progression is after being a Level 6

principal for 8-10 years. • The identity of the Western Australian school leader is shifting and some school leaders are

starting to see themselves as able to assist improvement across a system of schools.

• Some think there is not enough feedback on a principal’s leadership. • There are mixed experiences with collaboration between schools.

• There is a lack of mobility between regions. • People are not sure what the next step on the career progression is after being a Level 6

principal for 8-10 years. • It is desirable for leaders to have different experiences in numerous regions and at multiple

levels of the system as this allows them to develop a system perspective.

• People are not sure what the next step on the career progression is after being a Level 6 principal for 8-10 years.

• Leadership is challenging where the school context is complex and people feel stretched.

4.1 Create more system leadership opportunities:

• Identify principal capability leaders. • Offer guidance for principal learning teams. • Repurpose the networks.

4.4 Acknowledge system leaders: • Recognise system leadership in multiple ways (including

selection decisions).

4.3 Increase mobility:

• Explore options to increase mobility among senior leaders including consideration of fixed term contracts and limited tenure.

4.2 Increase peer support:

• Create a school pairing program where schools share knowledge and provide support to one another.


4. System leadership Policy outcomes: All leaders develop a system perspective and are expected to engage in system leadership, share knowledge, participate in strong networks, and help develop talent in other schools.

• Talent identification can be accidental and leadership preparation ad-hoc. • Some professional development is too short, disjointed and operational.

4.5 Enable better coordination

• Provide effective coordination across all policy areas and actions linking across schools, regions and central office – this could be done through a new Department leadership talent team.



4.1 Create more system leadership opportunities

Create a school pairing program where schools share knowledge and provide support to one another.

4.2 Increase peer support

Identify principal capability leaders who provide expertise and support to other principals.

Offer guidance for principal learning teams to operate out of the networks.

Repurpose the networks to have clear objectives and greater flexibility.

Actions for policy implementation: 4. System leadership

Explore options to increase mobility among senior leaders including consideration of fixed term contracts and limited tenure.

Note: Policy 2.5 ‘Target country regions for extra development’ will also increase mobility.

4.3 Increase mobility

Recognise system leadership in multiple ways (including selection decisions).

4.4 Acknowledge system leaders

Provide effective coordination across all policy areas and actions linking across schools, regions and central office – this could be done through a new Department leadership talent team.

4.5 Enable better coordination


Part A: Strategy

Introduction















The WA leadership strategy will develop leadership skills for different roles along the career pathway

Teacher leader Aspiring principal New principal Expert principal Accomplished principal

Pre-principal Principal

Teacher (emerging leader)

The beginning stages of the school leader career pathway are the same as a teacher career pathway. Hence, the leadership development strategy should be tightly aligned to teacher development strategy.

Currently WA is mostly focused on development for new and current school leaders. Leadership development policies are more reactive (focused on skills current principals do not have), rather than proactive (focused on ensuring skills before leaders become principals).

A comprehensive leadership strategy will ensure leaders at each stage of the leader career pathway have structured development opportunities in addition to clear expectations and performance feedback. Current WA leadership policies are mostly focused on the stages of principal selection through to accomplished principals. The future WA strategy, however, will be segmented to comprehensively cover earlier stages of the career pathway as well as when principals become experts.

The new strategy will target leadership development policies at earlier career stages to proactively ensure preparedness.

The new strategy will also ensure later career principals have development policies tailored to their needs and share expertise between schools.

Note: This career pathway is not designed to promote rigid career progression but describes development stages.

THE FUTURE OF LEADERSHIP IN WA


Setting expectations of what it means to be a leader in WA

As leaders develop along a pathway, they should understand the expectations for roles of increasing responsibility. It is important to clarify expectations so leaders know whether or not they are ready for the next role.

Role expectations are linked to what mindsets, skills, knowledge and capabilities WA needs in its leaders. These include the leadership priorities:

• Ability to lead others to improve student learning

• Ability to effectively operationalise the key steps of school improvement

• Ability to set clear performance expectations and hold professional conversations that result in actions to improve performance

• Taking responsibility for the overall health and improvement of all WA schools

• Mentors new teachers to achieve exemplary classroom instruction

• Is involved with a project outside his/her school

• Leads a team of teachers to better student outcomes

• Leads a project outside of his/her school

• Holds strong professional conversations

• Leads the school to improved student outcomes

• Mentors aspiring leaders from within and outside of his/her school

• Has a deep understanding of the key steps of school improvement

• Mentors new principals to improved student outcomes

• Has led schools in multiple environments

• Operationalises the key steps of school improvement

• Leads large networks of schools to improved student outcomes

• Leads system-wide leadership development initiatives

Example expectations at each stage

Teacher leader Aspiring principal New principal Expert principal Accomplished principal

Pre-principal Principal


• Exemplary classroom instruction

• Leads a project in the school

Leaders across the system can benefit from clear expectations by:

• Talent identification: Expectations can be used as a resource to identify leaders at each level who are high performing

• Performance management: Expectations can be the basis for feedback conversations

• Development: Expectations allow leaders to see where they need to develop skills. The expectations should be aligned to development opportunities at each career level

How will expectations be used?



Developing a principal in the future

Mary is a teacher who always knew she wanted to be a principal. When it was announced that a fast track program was being developed for high quality candidates, she asked her principal to nominate her. Her principal was happy to do so. Mary had run many small programs in the school and across their network and had been successful in improving student learning and in other teachers’ practice. Mary got into the program and developed quickly.

As a teacher, as part of the program, Mary spent a semester in a remote community and decided she would like to spend a bit more time there. She applied and was accepted for a principal position at a small remote school under the supervision of an executive principal. She was eligible for country region development support as a result of her new role and successfully applied. Along with additional development and supports as a result of the grant, Mary received additional training and mentoring from her executive principal.

The new Department leadership talent team were aware of her results and when a position opened up at a larger regional primary school, it was suggested that she apply for the position. She was selected for the position based on her success working in remote areas and exhibiting system leadership.

After six years at this school she applied for and was appointed to a large primary school. She was succeeded by her deputy principal who she had been mentoring for years to step into her role.

She spent a week overlapping with the outgoing principal in her new school. After several years of exceptional results and demonstrated strong leadership, she applied for her school to become a leadership development school, helping out other schools in the area. She had successfully developed a culture of continuous feedback in her schools and wanted to pass on her knowledge to other leaders.

Her school showed improvement under her leadership. She took part in a principal learning team that was part of her network. It helped her provide feedback, increase teacher collaboration and improve performance in her school.



Attracting a principal in the future

Peter is a teacher who never intended to leave the classroom. His principal had appraised his performance and assessed that he had leadership potential. His school was paired with another school a few suburbs over and his principal suggested that he spend time in the school running professional learning communities for their maths teachers on improving instructional techniques.

Peter was recognised for his ability to lead others and promoted to head of maths. Peter enjoyed this and upon his principal’s recommendation he applied to be a capability leader in running effective professional learning communities. Peter spent more time working with different mid-level leaders across the state. As his skills and confidence grew leading others, he decided to give school leadership a try.

He applied to spend some time at a leadership development school. He learnt what the job of a school leader was really like; the difficulties but also the rewards. As a result of his time at a leadership development school and his quality work as a capability leader, Peter successfully applied for a deputy position at a small high school in his network.

Peter implemented a numeracy strategy at the school that improved maths and science achievement greatly. However student performance in literacy was stagnant. Peter enlisted the help of the PAT team in order to develop a whole-school literacy strategy. The PAT team connected him to another capability leader who specialised in literacy and after a couple of years the school’s results were improving. Peter’s school partnered with another school in the area and helped them develop a literacy strategy.

He continued his work as a capability leader. He did a course on how to have effective professional conversations as he knew that this was a system priority. After a couple of years, Peter successfully applied for a principal position at a mid-sized urban high school.

As recognition for improving student achievement at his school and all his work as a system leader, Peter successfully applied to work on system-wide initiatives for school improvement.



The principalship as an attractive career choice

• Principal learning teams allow leaders to collaborate on a key issue with the goal of improving their own leadership to improve student learning. • Principals are recognised for how they have contributed to the system, reinforcing their understanding and appreciation of the system working

together as a whole towards the greater goal of improving student learning across WA.

Sense of personal contribution: Leaders need to feel they will be able to contribute to a wider mission to improve student outcomes

• Early talent identification leads to promotion or fast track career development. • A clear career progression is provided for young talent including through the fast track program. • High performing leaders become capability leaders, highlighting a leader’s expertise in a particular area. • The contribution of a system leader is acknowledged in a variety of ways.

Career opportunities: Emerging leaders want a clear career path leading to roles with increasing status, authority and opportunities

• Better transitions support principals as they adjust to the new position, lowering anxiety about taking full responsibility in the role. • Principals feel supported in their role due to the expansion of the PAT team to mentor all principals. • Additional development opportunities for principals working in country regional and remote schools means that leaders feel supported

enough to work in more challenging schools, making those positions more attractive. • System leadership opportunities such as capability leaders and principal learning teams offer opportunities for collaboration and support, and

decrease the isolating nature of the principalship.

Work environment: Leaders want to have autonomy but also need to be supported and have the opportunity to collaborate with others

Financial incentives are also important, however they cannot work alone. Changes to principal salary structures are outside the scope of this report.

Financial incentives

International best practice shows four things are needed to increase the attractiveness of school leadership: a sense of personal contribution, clear career opportunities, a positive and supportive work environment, and financial incentives.1 The leadership strategy focuses on the first three as a means to improve attraction and engagement.

Source: OECD, Preparing Teachers and Developing School Leaders for the 21st Century – Lessons from Around the World (2012)



Increasing mobility throughout the system will help develop and distribute quality leadership across WA

The leadership strategy will work across all of WA, with the overall objective of the strategy to develop strong and empowering leadership in every WA public school and across the whole system. When leaders gain experience in multiple schools in different regions, they develop expertise that helps them lead schools to improve student outcomes.

This strategy will encourage experience and expertise in multiple contexts and develop and distribute quality leadership across WA:

• Leadership development schools will allow emerging leaders to lead initiatives in a school outside of their own giving them wider experience over a broader context.

• Improving the selection process by giving greater emphasis to those who can demonstrate success in multiple contexts.

• Explore limited tenure and fixed term senior leadership contracts at individual schools to enhance mobility within the system.

• Offering additional support for leaders to work in country regional and remote schools motivates emerging leaders to work in more challenging schools.

• Instituting an executive principal model for clusters of small regional schools means that emerging leaders will have the opportunity to be mentored and trained by expert leaders, encouraging them to work in regional settings.

School leader mobility is a feature of strong school systems around the word because it has the following benefits:

1. Improved distribution of leaders: Mobility increases equitable distribution of talent, so that the strongest leaders do not stay in the same schools and no school has only beginning and less capable leaders for extended periods.

2. Improved professional learning: Working in different contexts allows leaders to learn new ways of working so that they become more innovative leaders.

3. Improved system leadership: Mobility creates leaders who feel responsible for multiple schools and are not attached to just one school. These leaders are more likely to see a system-wide view of school improvement.


Part A: Strategy

Introduction















The future of talent identification and selection in WA: Setting expectations, giving feedback, and collecting performance data

Five policy actions 1.1 Better talent identification: Facilitate talent identification in schools through guidance on talent identification for current leaders, recognise those who identify talent through performance management, provide clear pathways for young leaders and collect performance management data on emerging leaders 1.2 Better succession planning: Ensure someone is responsible for succession planning within a school and centrally so that they can conduct advanced planning and monitor potential successors 1.3 Better selection process: Create a more comprehensive selection process that aligns to leadership priorities, utilises performance management data and acknowledges the value of expertise and multiple contexts 1.4 Better transition: Provide guidance, time and support for effective transitions 1.5 Better data: Use performance management data to improve talent identification and selection

Future talent identification and selection

1: TALENT ID AND SELECTION

Current WA based on situation analysis: • There are pockets of talent identification but it is ad-hoc and disjointed. • There is consistency of what is expected in new school leaders. Principals emphasised the

importance of being able to lead a group of teachers to improve student learning. • The recruitment process is too narrow and does not consistently guarantee the most suitable

candidate will get the job. • There is not currently a leadership supply crisis but there is potential for a future shortage due

to the age profile of school leaders. • Many pre-principal roles are not structured to prepare future principals to lead teachers to

improve student outcomes. • Some schools are very proactive in their succession planning but across the system it is limited

and inconsistent. There is little formal succession planning (with limited data to assist with this). Filling vacancies regularly takes precedence over identifying talent (particularly in regional and remote schools).




Emerging leaders are identified and encouraged onto a leadership development path

When principal vacancies come up, the system has a list of aspiring leaders who are ready to be recruited for the principal positon

The principal selection process utilises previous performance management data and collects comprehensive information on each candidate

New principals have lead time before they enter the position to transition with the outgoing principal and other key staff


The future of talent identification and selection in WA: What will it look like?


How will the team support talent identification? • The leadership talent team produces guidelines on talent identification for current leaders

that show what evidence to look for to identify emerging leaders and what steps to take after identification (i.e. what are the leadership pathways?)

• The leadership talent team also issues guidelines to incorporate a discussion of talent identification into performance management of leaders

What can an emerging/ teacher leader expect?

• Will be identified by their principal or another leader and recommended a clear next step for development (e.g. joining the fast track program)

What can an aspiring principal expect? • Will be aware of upcoming principal vacancies that may be a match

far in advance • Will be required to develop a vision and strategy for school

improvement as part of the principal selection process

What can a new principal expect?

• Will be selected for new roles well in advance of taking the position

• Will receive support for early transition that allows them to visit the new school and hold transition meetings with the outgoing principal

What can a current principal expect?

• Will understand that talent identification is an important part of the principal role

• Will use guidance from central office to identify talent and recommend next steps for leadership development

• Will communicate regularly with central office regarding future succession planning

How will the team support succession planning? • The leadership talent team tracks upcoming principal vacancies

ahead of time • When principal vacancies come up, the leadership talent team

has a list of aspiring leaders who are ready to be recruited for the principal positon

How will the team support selection and transition?

• The leadership talent team provides guidance on the selection process: what is mandatory, what is optional, how to gather more comprehensive data, the value of expertise and experience in multiple contexts, and the relative importance of selection criteria as linked to leadership priorities

• This team also closely communicates with incoming and outgoing principals to ensure the transition process is smooth

Leadership talent team

Leaders

This can help form the basis of communication and stakeholder engagement for the strategy


Policy action 1.1: Facilitate talent identification in schools through guidance on talent identification for current leaders, recognise those who identify talent through performance management, provide clear pathways for young leaders and collect performance management data on emerging leaders


High-performing organisations see leadership development as a top priority and invest ample time and resources into early talent identification. These organisations do not leave talent identification to chance, but have structures and processes to emphasise its importance.

Providing opportunities for emerging leaders is an essential first step in developing a stronger supply of school leaders. However, other than a few pockets of excellence, there is currently no systematic identification of emerging leaders in WA.

There are a few issues that might prevent this identification of talent:

1. A hesitancy to encourage great teachers to leave the classroom.

2. A lack of ability to identify talent and pick the highest performers.

3. An inability to describe a clear path to leadership development for those who are identified.

The above issues connect to improvements that must be made in performance management and in leadership development policy. For example, a stronger performance management system for aspiring leaders will help principals identify talent. A more structured development strategy for emerging leader roles will give a stronger rationale to invest in talent identification.

Early encouragement helps emerging leaders decide to pursue leadership roles

1. Provide guidance on how to identify talent: Talent identification should focus on the same criteria used for performance management and selection. This includes looking at the leadership priorities to find emerging talent that have the necessary mindsets, knowledge and skills to become a school leader.

2. Encourage principals and other system leaders to spend time on talent identification. This means emphasising talent identification in performance management conversations across the system, being clear that those who promote strong talent will be recognised.

3. Promote clearly articulated pathways for identified talent: If there are no clear, structured development opportunities on offer, then talent identification has little purpose. Talent identification includes matching talent to the next career step.

4. Link talent identification to performance management data: In the short-term, early talent identification can be done through principals, other teachers, regions, networks, or any other professional learning communities. In the longer-term, performance management data will be used to identify emerging leaders who may not be identified through regular networks.

Actions WA should take to improve talent identification


The WA talent identification strategy reflects best-practice from Ontario


How WA’s leadership strategy is informed by Ontario

“Ten years ago, there was no intentionality around leadership: we didn’t know where our leaders were... now, we’ve identified over 800 potential leaders across the 200 schools in the York Region” - York Region Board, Ontario1

(1) Barber, Whelan, Clark (2010). “Capturing the Leadership Premium”

In Ontario, principals and district leaders are an important part of talent identification and selection and there is a clear path for identified talent. Leaders are encouraged to spend time on talent identification and every local school board is required to have a succession and leadership development plan. Identified emerging leaders are placed on the Aspiring School Leaders Track where a Leadership Development Officer works with them to create a growth and progression plan..

York region, Ontario WA

Leaders are encouraged to spend time on talent identification

Talent identification is a core part of a principal and superintendent’s job (a superintendent is a district leader)

In WA, leaders will be recognised and evaluated based on their involvement in talent identification

Succession planning is systemic and done well in advance

Every school board is required to have a succession and leadership development plan

In WA, schools and regions will work with central office to succession plan years ahead

Identified talent have a clear pathway

Emerging leaders create a growth and progression plan and are placed on the Aspiring School Leaders Track

In WA, principals will have a clear next step to recommend to identified talent, and some will be placed in the fast track program

Ontario has a clear emphasis on talent identification as part of its leadership

strategy.


Distributed relationships of performance management achieve two goals:

1. Current and aspiring leaders receive constructive feedback from people with more expertise

2. Everyone gains more experience in delivering constructive feedback and holding professional conversations

1. Needs analysis of what students in my school need and how leadership and teaching can be improved to help address learning needs

2. Prioritisation of objectives to identify the changes in leadership and teaching practice that will most help students.

3. Actions to develop and implement in the school

4. Monitor changes in instruction and student learning 5. Evaluate at mid-year and end-of-year to measure success and inform

changes in practice


Effective system-wide talent identification requires performance management for emerging and aspiring leaders to take place in every school

Schools in WA are responsible for instituting effective performance management of aspiring and emerging leaders. The department will only set expectations and provide guidance on how they should do so. The main recommendations for schools should be:

• Follow an inquiry-cycle based school improvement and development models that enables continuous improvement based on student learning

• Instituting distributed relationships of performance management

• Collecting non-burdensome amounts of data and feeding it back into the system for the purposes of talent identification, selection, succession planning and development (see policy 1.5)

This is the same cycle recommended for the school improvement

model

See Appendix A for further description of the inquiry-based school improvement model

Teacher leader

Aspiring principal Principal


New teachers

Distributed relationships of performance management

Performance management should follow a school improvement model

Needs analysis

Objectives

Actions Monitor

Evaluate


Policy action 1.2: Ensure someone is responsible for succession planning within a school and centrally so that they can conduct advanced planning and monitor potential successors


Early planning is key to strong succession planning

One of the most important elements of strong succession planning is time. Early identification of principal vacancies (ideally more than one year ahead of time) can solve some of the these typical succession planning issues:

• Failing to understand specific school needs. It is difficult to recruit and select for a principal vacancy without determining school needs as part of succession planning.

• Not allowing enough time to conduct the search: Succession planning should start well ahead of the vacancy announcement. If it is known that a principal may be leaving in the next 1-2 years, the search should start that early to identify possible successors and develop them for the specific school needs.

• Not searching the whole talent pool: Most applicants for a principal position come from neighbouring schools, but there may be a better candidate from outside the local area willing to move. This is one reason why early planning is important: so that there is ample time to identify non-obvious talent.

One of the most common problems with principal selection is that it is too late to start the succession planning when the vacancy is announced. Great succession planning requires effort early on – even years before a vacancy exists. Successful planning is not easy, but the resources committed will lead to better principals selected into every school.

There are three main actions WA can take to improve succession planning:

1. Accountability for succession planning: A key question for succession planning is, who is responsible for the school other than the outgoing principal? Another actor needs to be accountable for the succession planning, recruitment, selection, and transition process.

2. Advanced planning linked to talent identification and leadership development: If you want great candidates to apply, you need to know the vacancies early (i.e. years in advance where possible), so you can reach out to shortlisted candidates and then recommend development opportunities based on school need to ensure they are best prepared to take the job.

3. Performance data on potential successors: Succession planning for upcoming vacancies requires that systems not only know the demand side (which vacancies are coming up) but also know the supply side (which aspiring principals might be available to fill the vacancy).

Performance data on potential

successors

Accountability for succession

planning

Advanced planning linked

to talent identification

and leadership development

Three actions for improved succession

planning


Ontario provides an example of how to collect data for succession planning


Source: Ontario Leadership Strategy (2012). “Board Leadership Development Strategy – Manual”

Ontario collects data centrally for succession planning

Ontario centrally manages annual data collection from districts. The central team creates a form that districts fill out. This encourages districts to succession plan and provides the centre with data to actively monitor upcoming vacancies. Examples of the types of data Ontario collects: • Number of deputy principals, principals, and

supervisory officers • Projected number of retirements over the next three

years • Projected additional positions required (or reduction in

positions) over the next three years • Number of aspiring leaders who are qualified and ready

to step into the role • Number of aspiring leaders participating in

development programs/processes but are not yet ready for the role

• Actual number of retirements in current school year

Regions provide the following data annually

Number of current leadership roles (deputy and principal)

Projected number of retirements (deputy and principal) over the next 2,5,10 years

Projected additional positions required (or reduction in positions) over the next 2,5,10 years

Number of aspiring leaders who are qualified and ready to step into next role

Number of aspiring leaders on the fast track program (or other development program) who are not yet ready for the next role

Actual number of retirements in current school year

Do you anticipate that you will have enough qualified individuals to fill vacancies created through retirements and/or system growth over the next three years? If not, how are you planning to address the vacancies?

Example WA succession planning data collection template

While long term succession planning needs to take place across the whole system, a focus should always be on the schools where recruitment need is the greatest and succession planning is a challenge. Currently in WA this is mostly smaller schools in regional and remote areas. However, this may change over time. Continuous granular analysis that identifies and targets specific schools is needed to ensure resources are being devoted in the areas that need them most. Different strategies can be used to improve succession planning in different areas and types of schools. For example, the executive principal model can be used for clusters of schools where it is very difficult to attract experienced leaders. Making regional or remote service a requirement of opportunities such as the fast track development program is another targeted strategy.

Focus succession planning strategies on areas with greatest need


Policy action 1.3: Create a more comprehensive selection process that aligns to leadership priorities, utilises performance management data and acknowledges the value of expertise and multiple contexts


1. School visit including candidate interaction with school stakeholders

2. Personality assessment 3. Responses to case study scenarios 4. A presentation on candidate’s vision for school 5. Observation of a teacher with example of giving feedback on

teaching performance 6. Contacting referees not just listed by the candidate but others who

may have worked with him/her.

Criteria for principal selection needs to be linked to the leadership priorities:

• Identify and select people who have evidence of leading teachers to improve student outcomes

• Recruit leaders with evidence of a thorough and practical understanding of the key steps to school improvement

• Select for those that can hold effective professional conversations and provide others with constructive feedback

• Recruit those who have experience of being system leaders, taking responsibility for schools beyond their own

• Select candidates who have had success in multiple contexts, particularly in disadvantaged schools, to encourage this kind of mobility to improve distribution of quality leadership across the regions and ensure leaders are committed to all WA schools

Link selection to leadership priorities

Priorities 1. Ability to lead others to improve student

learning 2. Ability to effectively operationalise the key

steps of school improvement 3. Ability to set clear performance

expectations and hold professional conversations that result in actions to improve performance

4. Taking responsibility for the overall health and improvement of all WA schools

Selection criteria:

The current WA principal selection process is limited by the small amount of candidate information collected for a decision. This has lead many leaders to not trust the process as being able to identify the best candidates.

The current process involves a written application, shortlisting, and a short interview. This is a relatively small investment compared to the processes that other high-performing organisations use when selecting leaders and executives.

More comprehensive selection processes take more time to gather greater information about the candidate. This includes giving them assessment tasks, having them visit and interact with various stakeholders, and speaking to many different referees in a conversation about the candidate. Expanding the WA selection process to include more activities to collect candidate information will improve outcomes for principal selection.

Make selection process more comprehensive

A more comprehensive candidate selection process might include:


The WA strategy incorporates best-practice from Hong Kong’s principal selection process


Hong Kong invests a lot of resources into its principal selection process. The central Education Bureau issues a principal hiring guide that helps school management committees understand how to best select principals. Although there are specific steps that need to be followed, the guidance actually allows for a lot of discretion on how selection occurs for specific school needs.

As part of the selection process, Hong Kong uses a variety of methods to collect data on the candidates that go outside of just the traditional interview. For example, candidates often do presentations about their vision for the school, which allows the selection board to both see the candidate’s speaking skills as well as judge their future plan for the school.

1. Selection criteria: It is helpful to rank the criteria in order of importance.

2. Candidate interviews: Used to create a shortlist of candidates. Interviews err on the side of inclusion: when in doubt of the candidate quality, perform the interview.

3. Referee contact: including referees not provided by applicants (e.g. former managers).

4. Candidate presentations: Candidates do presentations about their vision for the school to test their communication and strategy skills.

5. Personality test: This is expensive so it is only done for final candidates.

“While interviewing is usually necessary in the selection of a principal, it is rarely enough. Getting to know a likely appointee in settings other than the interview room is obvious common sense. Many good applicants do not naturally interview well. Providing opportunities to meet applicants in other environments is important in the discovery of the best candidate.”

Hong Kong principal selection process

- Quote from the Hong Kong principal selection guide

1. Selection criteria: Connect selection criteria to leadership priorities (e.g. experience in diverse contexts) as well as local needs.

2. Candidate interviews: Multiple interviews per candidate can be conducted as needed, and interviews can involve tasks or responses to case studies.

3. Referee contact: Will no longer rely only on written references. Follow-up will occur over the phone or in person.

4. Multiple other ways to collect candidate information: This includes performance management data, candidate presentations on their school vision for improvement, visit to the candidate’s current school, observation of a candidate interacting with stakeholders at the future school, etc.

Future WA selection includes:


Policy action 1.4: Provide guidance, time and support for effective transitions


Recommendations for WA to improve principal transitions

1. Accountability: Someone other than the school principal (e.g. the leadership talent team) is responsible for ensuring a strong transition.

2. Guidance: High-level guidance should be provided on what constitutes an effective transition.

3. Time: The selection process should be far ahead of the date that the outgoing principal leaves the school to ensure enough time for full transition. This requires early succession planning.

4. Support: Support should be provided for the incoming principal to spend some time at the school before they take the new role.

Hiring a principal does not complete the selection process, but too often systems assume the work is done after a decision is made. However, there is important work to be done to ensure a successful transition from the outgoing principal to the new school principal.

In the situation analysis, WA principals stated that many incoming principals have little to no time with the outgoing principal for transition. This could be because the timing of the selection process was too late, but it might also be because there is currently no accountability for a strong transition process.

There are four main actions that will help WA improve its school transition process:

1. Improving accountability to ensure that someone other than the school principal is monitoring the transition process. The outgoing principal may not always have the motivation to spend a lot of time on the school transition process. Therefore, the leadership talent team should assume accountability for ensuring a smooth transition as part of the succession planning process.

2. Guidance on the best components of a transition process can help leaders understand what to do. This can be a document with high-level guidance to prevent it from becoming compliance-oriented.

3. Ensuring an early selection process means that more time is allocated for the transition. This may not always be possible, but it should be more of the norm rather than the exception.

4. Ideally, incoming principals would be selected far in advance and be able to spend time in their new school before the outgoing principal leaves. This may require some small release time funds allocated to transition.

Transition to new principal


Policy action 1.5: Use performance management data to improve talent identification and selection

Many performance management systems require annual ratings of individuals – for example, ratings based on a rubric of performance. Creating performance ratings can take thousands of hours each year, and often these are unreliable assessments of individuals’ skills.1 Rather than spending time perfecting ratings, the job of a performance management coach should primarily be to give feedback and encourage reflection on practice.

To limit the amount of time spent on data collection, WA leaders can answer a few simple questions about emerging and aspiring leaders at their schools to generate data fed back to central office. Data from these questions can form a ‘performance snapshot’ which can be used for decisions around talent identification, selection, succession planning, performance recognition, and targeting of development opportunities.

(1) Buckingham, M. & Goodall, A (2015) Reinventing Performance Management, Harvard Business Review, April 2015, p 40-50

Collect emerging and aspiring leader performance data without creating burdensome processes

1. ‘Given what I know of this person’s performance, I would want him or her on my team.’ This measures the person’s ability to work well with others (something indicated as important by nearly every principal focus group during consultations)

2. ‘This person is at risk of low performance.’ This is a clear identifier of red flags that he/she may be detracting from the work of improving student learning at his/her school.

3. ‘This person is ready for the next leadership level today.’ This measures the person’s potential and puts his/her name into a pool of potential candidates for future positions or development opportunities.

Adapted from Buckingham, M. & Goodall, A (2015) Reinventing Performance Management, Harvard Business Review, April 2015, p 40-50

Example questions to be answered about emerging/aspiring leaders


Principal Aspiring principal

Talent data system

Coaches aspiring principal throughout year

Recommends development opportunities

At end of year reflection, submits a 5 min survey about the aspiring principal

Information used for system-wide: • Succession planning • Selection decisions • Talent identification • Development program alignment

Sets development goals with coaching from principal

Elicits feedback on performance from other leaders through networks, leadership development schools, etc.

Needs analysis

Objectives

Actions Monitor

Evaluate


Continuously refine the selection process and criteria based on performance of selected candidates


The best systems constantly refine their selection criteria and process. WA should have the goal of linking principal performance data to selection criteria data to evaluate whether the selection process accurately predicts the best principals (see section 3 for more information on principal performance management data). Selection data can be collected at the beginning of the selection process which shows how each candidate rates on criteria. After new principals have worked for a few years, their performance data can be collected and compared to how they rated on initial selection criteria. This will help determine which selection criteria helped predict the strongest principals and which selection criteria weren’t as helpful. Once a system is up and running, selection criteria can be reassessed annually.

1. Establish criteria Link selection criteria to leadership priorities and school needs

2. Collect data on applicants • Previous performance management data • Data from application • Tenure/previous experience data • Data from interviews, references, and other

experiences with candidate

3. Rate candidates on selection criteria based on data

6. Refine selection process Keep most predictive selection criteria and revise criteria that were not predictive of performance

5. Look for correlations between data at selection process and performance • Did the selection method lead to effective

leaders? • What characteristics of candidates were

most predictive of future performance?

4. Track performance data For hired candidates, track how successful they are at the job

Conduct ongoing research on selection criteria, focusing on how well criteria predict candidate performance

Clarity on selection criteria sends a signal about what is valued

The selection process is revised – System Leadership will still be a criterion, but evidence to rate candidates will be collected in a different way to improve predictability.

Ten candidates are selected for new principal positons – they all scored highly on two selection criteria: Committed to all WA schools (previous success in disadvantaged schools) and System Leadership (have taken responsibility for schools beyond their own).

Performance data is tracked for the new principals over 1-2 years. Analysis finds that the most successful principals had previously scored high on commitment to all WA schools, but the System Leadership criteria was not predictive of performance.

Simple example

Part A: Strategy

Introduction















Leadership development in WA: Prepared leaders, continuous improvement.

Five policy actions 2.1 Establish leadership development schools: Select leadership development schools to help develop the next generation of leaders through on-the-job experiences 2.2 Develop emerging talent: Create a fast track talent management program for high potential candidates 2.3 Better and targeted principal preparation and differentiated development programs: Set clear objectives for training and require programs to be evaluated against system objectives and leadership priorities 2.4 Provide access to mentors for all principals: Expand the Principal Advisory Team (PAT) to provide access to support for all principals and develop a mentoring framework 2.5 Target country regions for extra development: Offer additional support for principals in targeted regional and remote schools to strengthen their development and institute an executive principal model for clusters of small regional schools to mentor and train beginning and/or inexperienced principals

2: LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

Current WA based on situation analysis: • Some effective development and training exists, but there is a lack of proper evaluation and

links to system priorities.

• The next generation of school leaders are eager if the opportunities are right.

• The Principal Advisory Team and other principal support teams are well-regarded and offer the support that principals need. Many principals expressed an interest in having greater access to these kinds of supports.

• Leadership development in regional areas is particularly important because there are a greater number of vacancies.

• Some professional development is too short, disjointed and operational.

• Level 3 teaching principals face unique challenges that are not sufficiently acknowledged by the system.

• The median age of those in current pre-principal roles indicates that they are not on a promotional progression but instead these roles are occupied by people who may not aspire to the principalship. This could be adversely affecting the leadership development opportunities available to aspiring principals.



Future leadership development in WA

Aspiring leader attends quality principal preparation program that has been evaluated by the department and shown to focus on leadership priorities

New principal receives mentoring from the PAT who offer collegial support

Emerging leader is identified early by his/her principal and entered into a fast track program

Teacher leader does internship at leadership development school (LDS), taking on some of the responsibilities of the deputy

Experienced principal moves to targeted remote school in exchange for additional development and support

Expert principal becomes the leader of an LDS, helping other aspiring and current leaders to develop their skills


Leadership development in WA: What will it look like?


What does central office do? • Sets clear expectations around

what school improvement looks like and therefore what a good leader looks like and what good leadership development looks like. This sets the priority focus areas for the selection of leadership development schools

• Designs and co-ordinates the fast track program

• Creates an evaluative framework for training programs and quality assures the process

• Provides additional support for principals who work at targeted regional and remote schools

• Expands and trains the PAT to provide access to mentors for all principals

What does an emerging/aspiring leader do? • Participates in the fast track talent management

program, receiving targeted intensive training, mentoring and work shadowing

• Attends quality training programs that have been evaluated and shown to focus on system objectives and leadership priorities

• Does an internship at a leadership development school, taking on some of the responsibilities of the deputy and being mentored and supported by school leaders

What does a school do? • Acts as a leadership development

school providing support to aspiring school leaders. The principal, the school’s deputies and the leadership team all lead, mentor and support the development of aspiring leaders

What does a principal do? • Develops based on their students’ needs not their

own personal beliefs about development • Moves to targeted remote school and receives

additional development and support • Identifies talent at their own school who should

participate in the fast track program or attend a training program or leadership development school

What does an expert principal do? • Becomes an executive principal and oversees a

cluster of small remote schools • Joins the PAT, mentoring and supporting

principals in need • Becomes the leader of a leadership development

school

What does a training program do? • Self-evaluates program offerings

based on evaluative framework provided by central office

• Modifies program offerings to reflect leadership priorities and system objectives for school improvement

• Tracks graduates to ensure quality of programs and provide feedback loops with schools



The following principles guide this leadership development strategy and are based on up-to-date evidence about how adults learn best

Emerging leaders, aspiring

principals and current

principals all need the following

Experience giving and receiving feedback

Mentoring

On-the-job learning including

experience in multiple contexts

Collaboration with peers

Targeted training (specific

skills)



• The leadership development school (LDS) is a school that has been evaluated as having high-quality leadership and is willing to take on aspiring leaders and develop them.

• We recommend two models for leadership development schools:

• Model A will operate in a similar manner to the teacher development schools. The LDS will be deemed as having expertise in a particular area and will act as a hub for that knowledge offering training, mentoring and other development opportunities. Areas of expertise should link to the system objectives and leadership priorities and be based on a needs analysis but could include areas like developing a culture of feedback and professional conversations, implementing school-wide use of data to improve student learning, implementing an inquiry cycle approach in schools, or identifying and nurturing talent.

• Model B will offer general leadership opportunities for aspirant principals to work at real schools, doing real leadership work. They will take on a leadership portfolio at the school and receive guidance and mentoring from staff at the leadership development school.

Example of LDS Model B

Policy action 2.1: Select leadership development schools to help develop the next generation of leaders through on-the-job experiences

Aspirant leaders attend the LDS 1 day per week for 6 months. Or alternately, full-time for one month. This will depend on the portfolio.

Aspirants work on a specific leadership or portfolio school improvement program within the school.

Aspirants are guided by the principal and a promising deputy. The deputy is assessed on his or her ability to develop others.

Aspirants are also given a peer-support buddy who they can go to with general questions.

Aspirants are each backfilled by a lower-level emerging leader to take on some of their leadership (rather than classroom) responsibilities.

In relinquishing 1-2 portfolios, the deputy is freed-up to work with the principal on higher order leadership work .5 days a week.

• Schools will be leadership development schools for 2-5 years.

• Schools will be selected based on an evaluation of their leadership and leadership development. Schools that have produced many successful current school principals will be targeted.

• Schools can both apply to be an LDS or be asked.

• LDSs will be expected to provide tools and materials of output to give back to the system.



Leadership development school criteria and cost

Criteria

In order to become a leadership development school, schools must demonstrate the following criteria:

1. Expertise – All leadership development schools must be renowned for having excellent leadership. This could be as a result of their growth in school performance, receiving an exemplary Expert Review Group review or by demonstrating strong leadership across their network. This expertise must be shared by several members of the staff.

2. Professional learning skills – The school must be able to demonstrate its ability to pass on its expertise to others. This may include experience in running successful mentoring or coaching programs, professional learning communities or delivering seminars within or outside of the school.

3. Capacity – The school must be able to demonstrate that it has the necessary staff to administer programs and support. This requires not only the principal, but at least one deputy and several other members of the leadership team to agree to be a part of the program and individually demonstrate expertise in the first two areas.

Cost

Model A

The first model operates in the same vein as the teacher development schools and as such there is no reason to have the cost be any different. Schools would receive a small grant as a result of their participation in the program.

Model B

The only cost of the second model is that of backfilling the aspirant leaders one day per week or for approximately one month of the year. The aspirants are unavailable for 10% of a year in total. The model will also include some upfront design costs.

Model A + B

It makes sense that schools that run the internship programs of model B also act as hubs for leadership development more generally as in model A. The aspirant leaders who participate in the program and the leaders who offer them guidance and support can use what they have learned to run seminars and offer support to other leaders. They should also provide tools and outputs based on their experiences.



Policy action 2.2: Create a fast track talent management program for high potential candidates High-performing companies are 1.4 to 2.7 times more likely to provide development programs for “emerging” and “high” potentials.1

• The creation of a two-year fast track development program for high potential candidates will provide a clear pathway for WA’s emerging leaders who have shown sustained high performance in their current roles.

• The program would select a group of early career leaders or teachers. Applicants must be nominated by their principal and undergo a rigorous selection process.

• Participants will receive additional development, including targeted intensive training, mentoring, work shadowing with a proven leader and internship opportunities.

• The program will include requirements for participants to work in regional or remote communities to foster their understanding of WA as a whole and develop system leadership. Leadership development schools in the regions will act as hubs for these placements and offer development and on-the-job learning for participants.

• The participants will be expected to develop a school improvement plan for their school. This plan will have to show how they could improve their school in each strategic objective and priority area. For example, planning for how they would build a collaborative culture of professional conversations in their school and how they would develop teacher capacity within their school to improve student outcomes.

• The department will help to place the participants in jobs so that they can become principals shortly after commencing the program. While the participants are only engaged in the program for two years, there is continual management of participants from central office to ensure that they are ultimately fully developed and hired as principals.

• Targeted training will also focus on the leadership priorities of WA. For example, targeted training in having professional conversations would be included.

• Implementation of the program should begin with the creation of a working group to design a pilot for approximately 4-6 participants. This will include guidelines for selection, roles and responsibilities of participants and mentors, and type of training required. The coursework can be developed internally or contracted out based on needs.

Year 2 Year 1

• Receive mentor • Structured work

shadowing of principal in a different school known for quality leadership

• Semester-long regional internship at LDS

• Develop a school improvement plan

Leadership development coursework + targeted intensive training

Enhanced yearly performance appraisals

Example of potential fast track program

Development phasing In the short term, the fast track program will allow WA’s top talent to move quickly into leadership positions. These extensively developed leaders will then become key in identifying and developing the next generation of leaders.

In the long term, the fast track program will become the model for all future principals as it links all five adult learning principles.


(1) BCG, Realizing the Value of People Management https://www.bcgperspectives.com/content/articles/people_management_human_resources_leadership_from_capability_to_profitability/?chapter=3


Policy action 2.3: Set clear objectives for training and require programs to be evaluated against system objectives and leadership priorities

• There are a variety of different training programs available for principals and pre-principals in WA at the moment, but the content of the programs is not directly linked to the needs of WA as a system.

• The leadership strategy, by defining clear leadership priorities and creating enabling structures through selection, performance management and evaluation, will improve the market for high-quality targeted training.

• By setting clear objectives for system and school improvement and priority areas for leadership training, the department sends a clear message to aspiring leaders and training programs about what it is expecting of them. These are reinforced though performance management and selection. For example, one of the department's priorities is to create leaders who hold effective professional conversations. Leaders will be assessed on their ability to hold professional conversations in their performance management and selection criteria. This encourages leaders to get quality training in this area and motivates training providers to include training on professional conversations as part of their programs. Program evaluations will also be expected to show evidence of how the program improves participants’ ability to hold professional conversations.

• Currently in WA, as in most systems, programs lack rigorous evaluation. Without evaluation, it is impossible to know whether the current suite of programs available in WA is an important part of leadership development or a waste of time and money. The leadership strategy will provide an evaluative framework against which programs can assess their own performance against the leadership priorities and the broader objectives of the system.

Evaluation can consider graduate characteristics such as:

• Which programs are placing a high percentage of their graduates into the state’s schools?

• How quickly are they placed?

• Which program’s graduates are producing growth in students’ scores?

They can also consider program characteristics such as:

• Which programs include the most field-based experiences?

• Which programs include content most relevant to WA’s system objectives and leadership priorities?

Programs should be assessed against a set of given criteria known to make them more effective.



School leadership development programs: what do high performers do?

Principal’s Qualification Program (PQP) Ontario, Canada Leaders in Education Program (LEP) Singapore

The Principal’s Qualification Program (PQP) is a mandatory, pre-service qualification for aspiring principals in the province of Ontario, Canada. Candidates self-nominate and pay subsidised fees.

The content is designed by the Ontario College of Teachers (OCT), and approved by the Ministry of Education. The OCT then licences providers to deliver the program for candidates, including universities and principals’ councils.

The PQP has three components: Parts I and II (125hrs each), and the Leadership Practicum (60hrs).

The content of Parts I and II reflects the five leadership domains of the Ontario Leadership Framework. These domains are:

• Setting directions

• Building relationships and developing people

• Developing the organisation

• Leading the instructional program

• Securing accountability

The Leaders in Education Program (LEP) is a mandatory pre-service program for aspiring principals and ministry officers in Singapore. It is a six-month, full-time course run by the National Institute of Education (NIE) and sponsored by the Ministry of Education.

The MOE nominates 30 to 40 candidates a year on the basis of candidates’ annual performance appraisals, a series of situational tests, and interviews with ministry officials.

The LEP emphasises the critical thinking and professional dialogue skills necessary for principals to succeed in a complex working and social environment. Courses do not cover administrative skills, but include:

• School leadership, vision, culture

• Educational leadership through complexity lenses

• Contemporary strategic management

• Valuing and developing people

• Leading curriculum and instructional change

• Evaluation and assessment

All candidates receive a mentor through the LEP and undertake a two-week international visit.

The leadership practicum is a school-based educational experience under the guidance of a mentor (a serving principal). Proposals vary, but are oriented around mobilising data to improve student achievement, devising a school improvement plan, or leading professional learning initiatives for teachers to improve teaching practices.

Leadership practicum (60 hours)

Candidates undertake a school-based Creative Action Project (CAP) at their principal mentor’s school. Participants build innovative models of what teaching and learning will look like in 10-15 years. The CAP helps candidates develop leadership qualities and adaptability to deal with complexity in a new school environment.

Creative Action Project



How does a decentralised system influence programs to develop the leaders that WA needs?

Department sets clear system objectives / leadership priorities

Leaders are appraised based on their ability to demonstrate how they have achieved objectives

Leaders look for programs that can show they

have developed leaders to achieve

objectives Training providers design courses based on demand for content aligned to objectives

Programs are evaluated to prove that they have developed leaders to achieve objectives

Model Example The department wants leaders who can develop others to improve student

learning

Leaders are appraised based on their ability to develop others to improve student outcomes

Leaders look for programs which

have demonstrated results in developing

leaders who can develop others to

improve student outcomes

Training providers design courses based on demand for content such as using data to evaluate practice

Programs are evaluated to prove that they have been able to develop leaders who can develop others to improve student learning

Leaders who can develop a

group of teachers to

improve student outcomes

Objectives / priorities

Appraisal

Program evaluation

Design programs

Choose programs

Objectives / priorities

Appraisal

Program evaluation

Design programs

Choose programs

This strategy relies on market-based mechanisms, rather than centralised control to ensure quality programs. If the right enabling structures are created, the training programs will align themselves to develop leaders who can meet these objectives.



Designing an evaluative framework that all WA program providers must use ensures that evaluation is taking place while sending a clear signal to providers about expectations

• Program providers should evaluate the content, design and delivery of their program relative to the program’s objectives and goals and the needs of participants. High-quality course content by itself is not enough. Course design and delivery – the types of learning activities, sequencing of them, and the extent to which learners are actively engaged – is critical. Design features most positively reviewed in the literature include experiences tailored to individuals’ learning needs and career stage, practice-centred learning, and opportunities for practical experiences and peer learning.

• Reviewing program objectives is a critical first step in the evaluation process; it provides the basis for adapting and customising the evaluative framework. This will ensure that evaluation measures analyse design, implementation and outcomes of the program relevant to what it is trying to achieve. It therefore informs the remaining components of the program evaluation. Program providers should keep referring back to this first component as they progress through the framework.

• In reference to the program’s objectives, goals and intended outcomes defined above, program providers should be clear about the personal attributes, existing skills, experience and qualifications that individuals need in order to benefit from the program. Program providers can then compare their ‘desired participants’ with the characteristics of actual program cohorts to assess if their attraction and selection processes are identifying the ideal candidates. If there is discrepancy between the two, program providers can use this information to refine and improve their selection processes.

• Program providers must assess participant performance against the intended outcomes of the program as defined by program objectives and goals. This is the ultimate test of the program’s success. Depending on the program’s goals, evaluators may wish to focus on different outcomes. These can be participant, school, student or system level outcomes.

1. Review of program objectives and goals

2. Evaluation of selection processes

3. Evaluation of program content, design and delivery

4. Evaluation of participant performance and outcomes

The following four components are key to designing an effective principal development program evaluation framework.

This is adapted from a forthcoming paper by Learning First for AITSL titled Evaluating Principal Preparation Programs



Evaluation can choose to focus on different levels of program outcomes

Participant level

Changes in participant behaviour as a result of completing the program Methods:

• Graduate self-reflection surveys • In-school observations • Interviews

School level

The impact that program graduates subsequently had on teaching, school climate and relationships with other leaders and the community Methods:

• In-school observations • School staff surveys

Student level

The impact that the participant had on student achievement and other learning outcomes at the school after completing the program Methods:

• Student achievement data • Student surveys

System level

How the program met workforce and education system objectives and leadership priorities Methods:

• In-school observations • Student achievement data • Hiring and retention data

Generally, the long causal chain between participation in a principal preparation program and changes in student outcomes makes it more difficult to quantify the longer-term impacts of principal preparation programs. A partial remedy to this problem is to evaluate both student outcomes and ‘intermediate’ outcomes such as changes in program graduate behaviours (e.g. through repeated in-school 360° evaluations and mentor surveys).

In some situations, particularly when a program is new or untested, evaluating outcomes at the individual level may be more valuable because it allows for a more immediate understanding of how a program is working (which can be used to refine the program).



High quality training in WA is reliant on all stakeholders having a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities

There is a need for better role clarity in WA. Currently aspirant development programs are being run to varying degrees by the Institute for Professional Learning (IPL), external providers, the networks and the associations.

There are, however, two important things that no one is doing:


1. Setting expectations around what skills and capabilities leaders in WA need to develop

2. Evaluating programs and communicating the results of these evaluations to aspiring and current leaders

Program evaluations can be the responsibility of the programs themselves or they can be evaluated externally. In either scenario, the department will need to provide an evaluative framework that highlights the system’s objectives and leadership priorities.

The department can also make self-evaluation a requirement for providers by mandating that if you want to run a course in WA you must agree to an evaluation.

Communicating the results of evaluations should be the responsibility of the IPL but only if its role is clarified. Currently its role is confused. It acts as a purchaser, designer and provider. It cannot be all things. It is important that the IPL’s role is focused on developing a quality choice mechanism for program providers to play into by purchasing and promoting programs that have positive evaluations and provide content that is aligned to the system objectives and leadership priorities.

It is the responsibility of the department to set the expectations of what it wants from its school leaders through performance management and selection mechanisms.

However, in the longer-term, in order to best understand what skills and capabilities leaders in WA need to develop, the department needs a clear framework for how schools improve.

Hence setting expectations should also include the development of a system-wide school improvement model that drives everything across the system from leadership development to resource allocation.

By articulating how schools improve the department can then determine what it needs from its leaders and hence from its training and development programs.

See Appendix A for more information about connecting the leadership strategy to a school improvement model.


Policy action 2.4: Expand the Principal Advisory Team (PAT) to provide access to support for all principals and develop a mentoring framework

• In order to provide mentoring and support to all principals who request it, WA should expand the PAT depending on demand.

• The PAT was highly praised during consultations. While it was originally intended for new principals only, the support now extends to all principals, although many are unaware of this. An important implementation step to expanding the PAT will be making sure it is effectively communicated to all principals.

• Making this known to principals across the system and expanding the team would allow this team to provide more comprehensive support to all of WA’s school leaders.

• Members of the PAT should be matched with requesting principals based on the size of the school. Where possible principals should be able to request their mentor based on what context or experience they think will be most relevant to them.

• A clear mentoring framework and expectations should be defined with a working group of principals and then the team should be slowly expanded by 2-4 new members at a time. New PAT members should be trained against the framework.

• By fostering collegial support between leaders, principals will have somewhere clear to turn when they encounter a problem.

How many mentors?

• The PAT was originally a 4 member team intended to provide mentoring support to all new principals, of which there are usually 40 a year.

• A team of 10-20 principal advisors should be able to service approximately 200-400 principals.

• However, assuming that more experienced principals will require less support than new principals, an expanded PAT should be able to provide access to mentoring and support for all principals.

4 mentors = 80 principals (1st & 2nd year)

10-20 mentors = 200-400 principals



Policy action 2.5: Target country regions for extra development: Offer additional support for principals in targeted regional and remote schools to strengthen their development

• Principals who want to work at targeted regional and remote schools will receive extra development and support to account for the acknowledged challenges of running these schools. This will improve mobility and develop talent in all regions.

• Principals will receive a mentor as well as targeted training in particular areas that are more significant in remote schools. These could include turnaround strategies, particular instructional techniques and attendance and discipline strategies.

• Principals may also have access to a central office member to provide guidance and support when needed.

• The department can pick the schools based on an ICSEA cut-off or decide internally based on those they see as in need of turnaround.

• This strategy should be limited to WA’s schools most in need of turnaround (initially less than 30 schools) to ensure that the support for leaders is high quality. The additional support will only be available to principals working at one of these schools. Whether the additional support will be available to any principal (regardless of experience or quality) willing to work at one of these schools or whether an additional selection process is required to receive the additional support is at the Department’s discretion.

• The strategy will improve regional mobility. Opportunities for professional development can often make a role more attractive than financial incentives. By providing additional development, training and support for leaders who work at targeted regional and remote schools, principals will feel more supported and acknowledged when they work at these schools.

• It will also improve the distribution of quality leaders across WA as currently there are primarily financial motivations for quality principals to work at targeted regional and remote schools. By offering additional support for school principals to work these schools, higher quality leaders will be attracted to these schools, which will work towards improving the distribution of quality leadership.

• Research and design of the program should be based on the evidence base and student data from remote and regional schools. The coursework can be developed internally or contracted out based on needs. The program should be piloted initially with less than five selected school leaders.

• As part of this targeted remote strategy, executive principals will be created to oversee and support clusters of remote schools. Principals in these clusters will be eligible to receive these extra development and support opportunities.

Targeted training program for 40 hours per year

Example of extra development and support package

Three-day residential program before departing for new school

Weekly mentoring discussions

Visits from central office specialists including psychologists and special needs teachers

Mentor from another government agency (e.g. health leader)



• Create executive principals to oversee clusters of small regional schools. These principals mentor and train the level three principals in their cluster. Executive principals would not have their own school but would instead be responsible for all the schools in the cluster. The level three principals would remain full principals and be equally responsible for the performance of their own school.

• It is important that executive principals are carefully selected from highly experienced principals in the system. They should be provided with training and additional support from central office, if required.

• Level three principals in these clusters could be eligible for the additional supports for targeted regional and remote schools while receiving mentoring and coaching from the executive principal in charge of their cluster.

• This will only be suitable in a handful of cases involving clusters of very small schools in regional locations where it is difficult to attract experienced leaders. Knowing that they would be mentored and supported by a highly experienced executive principal would act as a motivating factor for beginning and inexperienced leaders to want to work in otherwise challenging schools.

• This decreases the demand for multiple experienced leaders as executive principals can oversee clusters of beginning or inexperienced principals. In many cases beginning leaders are developed and grown under the leadership of the executive principal and will be more likely to continue working in remote and regional areas.

Policy action 2.5: Target country regions for extra development: Institute an executive principal model for clusters of small regional schools to mentor and train beginning and/or inexperienced principals

L3 Principal L3 Principal L3 Principal L3 Principal L3 Principal L3 Principal

Executive Principal


Part A: Strategy

Introduction















The future of leadership performance management (PM) in WA: Greater accountability, feedback, and use of performance data.

Four policy actions 3.1 Assess the level of support principals receive based on analysis of experience and performance: Use a combination of data and professional judgement to differentiate levels of principal performance 3.2 Offer different levels of support and feedback on a principal’s school improvement process: Recommend differentiated levels of support for principals so they can implement an effective school improvement process to improve student outcomes 3.3 Systematically collect performance management data: Systematically collect performance management data to inform system decisions on selection, development and succession planning 3.4 Develop a stronger performance management culture and skills: Strengthen the quality of performance management to focus professional conversations on teacher and leader performance to improve student outcomes

3: PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT


• There is variation in principals’ satisfaction with their performance management

• Some think there is not enough feedback on a principal’s leadership. This is particularly the case in regional areas.

Performance management data is collected systematically and used to make decisions locally, including decisions on promotion or principal selection.

Different levels of support and feedback offered on a principal’s school improvement process

Assessment of the level of support principals receive based on analysis of experience and performance

Stronger performance management culture and skills developed to focus performance management on teacher and leader performance to improve student outcomes

Current WA based on situation analysis: Future performance management in WA


Policy action 3.1: Use a combination of data and professional judgement to differentiate levels of principal performance

NSOS data

Principal 360 data

Leadership Action Plan • Principal

identifies areas for improvement

• May include references to professional learning but may just be a need to do things differently

• Shown to school board chair

• DG has optional access

Assess the level of support principals receive using data gathered as part of the current IPS performance management process…

DES review report

School provides portfolio of information for reviewers

External reviewers analyse portfolio to determine if

commitments and targets are met

External reviewers conduct review visit including initial

and exit meeting with Principal and Board Chair

External reviewers draft report, DES quality assures

report, Principal checks factual accuracy

School makes report public

It is followed up by feedback from the Director General on the leadership implications

of review findings. This includes a rating of non /

satisfactory

In order to evaluate how well a principal is operationalising the key steps of school improvement, some form of professional judgement will be required. This could apply to every principal or it could be an additional step taken for principals where the pre-existing performance management processes have shown them to be underperforming or coasting.

The professional judgement should not be made by someone who spends merely a short time with the principal. However, with a clear school improvement model in place and an in depth understanding of the key steps to school improvement, a principal should be able to succinctly articulate exactly what they are doing to operationalise the school improvement model to improve student learning.

The professional judgement should be made by someone with an in depth understanding of school improvement. They should have no stake or interest in the result of their judgement in order to remain completely impartial.

The weighting of this judgement should be considered alongside all other sources of data to determine an assessment of the principal.

…alongside a professional judgement on school improvement steps

Note that the quality of this entire process relies on it being linked to a clear school improvement model



These are the top performing principals in the state. They have shown continuous growth in student achievement and have exceeded all of the goals highlighted in their delivery performance agreement and leadership action plans.

Differentiate levels of principal performance into four categories

After principals have gone through the review process, the department should be able to assess which of the following levels of performance they fall under:

The level of recommended support and feedback principals receive on their school improvement process is based on this assessment (see policy 3.2)

The recommended personal development opportunities are also based on their assessment:

These principals are performing well. Their student achievement results are improving and have met all of the goals highlighted in their delivery performance agreement and leadership action plans.

These principals are neither failing nor improving. Their student achievement results are stagnant and they have met some of the goals highlighted in their delivery performance agreement and leadership action plans.

These principals are failing. Their student achievement results are continuously low and they are not meeting the goals highlighted in their delivery and performance agreements.

A Exceptional

B Improving

C Coasting

D Under-

performing

Present school improvement plans to others in their network or principal learning team for feedback


Receive mentoring from the PAT on design and implementation of school improvement model

Receive visit from Expert Review Group to provide guidance through the school improvement process

Become an LDS, pair with another school (as lead school), become capability leader

Pair with another school (as lead school), attend LDS sessions, attend external training

Receive mentoring from the PAT, pair with another school, attend leadership development school sessions, attend external training

Receive extensive mentoring from the PAT, pair with another school



Policy action 3.2: Recommend differentiated levels of support for principals so they can implement an effective school improvement process to improve student outcomes

Recommended school improvement process/ model

Depending on the principals’ level of performance, they will receive different levels of support to help them implement an effective school improvement process to improve student outcomes. This may include helping them develop their school plan but will also consider their school improvement process more broadly. It is recommended that every principal increase the amount of peer feedback, collaboration and knowledge sharing involved in this process.

For level A and B principals, it will be recommended that they share their school improvement plans with their networks or principal learning teams for feedback. Although these schools are already performing well, an outside perspective may bring to light new ideas or innovative solutions to ongoing challenges. Furthermore, this process works both ways, spreading knowledge to other principals of what excellence looks like.

These principals will also have the PAT available for them to call on if they would like additional feedback and help designing their school plan or implementing their school improvement process effectively. For level C principals, it will be recommended that they receive mentoring from the PAT to help them understand and operationalise an effective school improvement process and provide them with ongoing support throughout the year.

Underperforming level D principals will receive additional assistance through the ERG process, which guides principals through the school improvement process over two years.


Needs analysis

Objectives

Actions Monitor

Evaluate



Receive mentoring from the PAT on design and implementation of school improvement process

Receive visit from Expert Review Group to provide guidance through the school improvement process

A Exceptional

B Improving

C Coasting

D Under-

performing

See Appendix A for further description of the inquiry-based school improvement model


Policy action 3.3: Systematically collect performance management data to inform system decisions on selection, development and succession planning

There are already multiple types of evaluations for schools and school principals, including: 1. ERGs 2. DES reviews 3. Ratings from the Director General 4. Principal 360 reviews

Each of these reviews is based on data collected from and about the school, and currently this data is not housed in a single system that makes it easy to create a portfolio of performance information about each principal. Ideally, particular pieces of data can be captured in a system that allows for easy access to data for decisions like principal selection and promotion, recognition for outstanding principals, and alignment of development opportunities to principal need.

Systematically collect performance management data to inform system decisions on selection, development and succession planning

1. Data from DES review process – What were the strengths and weaknesses of the school while the person was principal? (qualitative / portfolio)

2. NAPLAN data – Did student performance improve while the person was principal? (quantitative / portfolio)

3. 360 review data – What do other people think about the principal? (qualitative / portfolio)

4. Performance rating from DG – Was the principal satisfactory in their performance appraisal? (quantitative)

5. ERG data (exemplary or otherwise) – Has the principal ever received an ERG? (quantitative)

6. Professional judgement – Has the principal implemented an effective school improvement process? (quantitative / qualitative)

Example performance data that can link to each principal

Principal

Talent data system

Rating from Director General

360 reviews

Professional judgement (see policy 3.1)

Information used for system-wide: • Development opportunity alignment • Selection/promotion decisions • Recognition and reward • Monitoring and evaluation (e.g. refining

selection process)

School

DES review

NAPLAN scores

NSOS data

Information attached to individual principals



Policy action 3.4: Strengthen the quality of performance management to focus professional conversations on teacher and leader performance to improve student outcomes Evidence shows that a key way to improve teaching and learning in schools is by providing feedback based on a proper assessment of classroom instruction. Professional conversations also enable development issues to be addressed and play a vital role in any effective performance management and development program. Many WA school leaders are not having these conversations with their staff with sufficient frequency or depth to significantly improve performance.

These conversations are not easy. Holding effective conversations and enabling strong communication in schools requires active development.

In order to develop a stronger culture of performance management that is focused on teacher and leader performance rather than merely compliance, the department should set expectations and issue guidance on in-school performance management.

In order to focus professional conversations on improving teacher and leader performance in a way that improves student outcomes, the department should recommend that schools use a school improvement model that starts and ends with student learning. The school improvement model opposite follows five steps that enable continuous improvement based on student learning. When evaluating teacher and leader performance the focus is always on student learning, rather than a check-list of skills or capabilities.

1. Needs analysis of what students in my school need and how leadership and teaching can be improved to help address learning needs

2. Prioritisation of objectives to identify the changes in leadership and teaching practice that will most help students.

3. Actions to develop and implement in the school

4. Monitor changes in instruction and student learning

5. Evaluate: at mid-year and end-of-year to measure success and inform changes in practice

See Appendix A for more information on this school improvement model

Performance management should follow a school improvement model that starts and ends

with student learning

Needs analysis

Objectives

Actions Monitor

Evaluate

The department will also provide clearer guidance as to what leadership action plans need to look like and encourage leaders to use the same school improvement process to develop their plans.

All individual goal setting should be linked to system and school goals. Leaders will need to reference:

• System student achievement goals (e.g. is there a system-wide focus on numeracy?)

• School student achievement goals (e.g. what is the local context in relation to the system-wide goals?)

• Leadership priorities (e.g. leaders need to have better skills in holding professional conversations)

Leadership action plans should be connected to school and system goals


Part A: Strategy

Introduction















System leadership in WA: Opportunities to share knowledge across the system

Five policy actions 4.1 Create more system leadership opportunities: Create capability leaders who provide expertise and support to other principals and facilitate the creation of principal learning teams as part of repurposed networks 4.2 Increase peer support: Create a school pairing program where schools share knowledge and provide support to one another 4.3 Increase mobility: Explore options to increase mobility among senior leaders including consideration of fixed term contracts and limited tenure 4.4 Acknowledge system leaders: Recognise system leadership in multiple ways (including selection decisions) 4.5 Enable better coordination: Provide effective coordination across all policy areas and actions linking across schools, regions and central office – this could be achieved through a new Department leadership talent team

4: SYSTEM LEADERSHIP

Current WA based on situation analysis:

• The identity of the Western Australian school leader is shifting and some school leaders are starting to see themselves as able to assist improvement across a system of schools.

• There are mixed experiences with collaboration between schools.

• There is a lack of mobility between regions.

• Some networks are working well to provide cross-school collaboration but others are lacking.

• There are opportunities in the networks but currently their purpose is not clear.

• People are not sure what the next step on the career progression is after being a Level 6 principal for 8-10 years.

• Leadership is challenging where the school context is complex and people feel stretched.

• It is desirable for leaders to have different experiences in numerous regions and at multiple levels of the system as this allows them to develop a system perspective.

Future system leadership in WA

Leaders have opportunities for meaningful collaboration and leadership development through principal learning teams

System leadership roles are created across regions and leaders acknowledged for helping schools beyond their own

High quality middle and higher level leaders are recognised as masters of their profession and their expertise is utilised as capability leaders

High-performing schools are acknowledged for providing peer support to other schools

Better coordination ensures that school, regional and central polices are aligned

Options to increase mobility are such as fixed term contracts are explored and considered


The development of system perspective

Pre-Leader Teacher

School Head of Department

School Leader System Leader

Mindset

Mindset

“I can improve students’ outcomes and it is up to me to work out a way to do this within my classroom and share lessons learnt”

Mindset

Removing barriers & creating opportunities to create these identity shifts

“I can lead change in other teachers in my subject area to improve students’ outcomes. I can work with and improve other leaders. It’s up to me to work out a way to do this within my department and share lessons learnt”

“I can lead change in my school to improve my leaders and my teachers to lift students’ outcomes. It’s up to me to work out a way to do this – seeking help from other school leaders when needed – and share lessons learnt”

“I can lead change across the system to improve school leaders, teachers, and students’ outcomes. I can help other school leaders, identify and develop talent, and be a part of system and local change”

More ‘empowered’

Less ‘empowered’

Mindset

Increasing need to develop skills in others and trust staff as they become further removed from day to day teaching of students. Leaders don’t seek permission to act or look to blame others for what is their responsibility.

System priorities and messages matter

They have a great impact on leaders’ sense of identity and locus of control. Why do school principals enact reforms they could have done before?



Policy action 4.1: Create more system leadership opportunities

Many system leadership opportunities will be created in WA public schools. They will build expertise across the system as these leaders play a greater role in system development over time. The roles will be flexible and allow system leaders to move in and out of various roles in the system and in their school. These system roles include: • Leadership development school principals: create a way for

knowledge to be shared across the system (see policy 2.2).

• PAT mentors: act as a way to encourage knowledge sharing and relationships from leader-to-leader (see policy 2.4).

• Pairing schools: School leaders who volunteer to work with other schools to improve their performance (see policy 4.2).

• Principal learning teams (PLTs): Peer-to-peer professional learning communities of school principals that focus on how to get key system objectives (e.g. professional conversations with teachers) operating effectively in their school.

• Principal capability leaders: Experts in system objectives and leadership priority areas. School leaders apply to be assessed in a given capability area (e.g. talent identification and development) and if successful are chosen as a WA expert leader in their area. They then lead professional development of other school leaders, and provide mentoring and support for other school leaders.

Department Schools Leadership

development school

PAT mentors

IPS fellows

Pairing schools

Capability leaders

School networks

PLT leaders




Opportunities for professional collaboration across the system

Professional collaboration is important to help leaders feel less isolated, develop a system leadership perspective and better understand how their actions impact student learning. Currently in WA, the primary form of professional collaboration is through the networks but while some networks are operating effectively, others are not. Furthermore, networks provide opportunities for professional collaboration beyond just school leaders; all members of a school should be invited to participate.

This strategy offers two policies that will offer specific opportunities for professional collaboration between principals:

These can operate within or alongside the networks.

Professional collaboration does not happen unless leaders have a reason to work together. Many systems try to use mandatory networks as a means of fostering greater professional collaboration. However, the evidence is clear that voluntary and organically grown networks with a clear purpose are significantly more likely to have motivated members who work together to achieve a shared goal. In contrast, the vast majority of networks that are mandated by government fail. Rather than mandating professional collaboration through networks, governments need to set clear strategic priorities for leadership development and school improvement that are reinforced through performance management and selection.

An example of this approach was effectively implemented in British Columbia. The system set objectives for school improvement that began with a student needs analysis and emphasised teacher professional collaboration. District superintendents made clear that school principals would be evaluated on how they assessed student needs in their school and got their teachers collaborating effectively.

School principals therefore wanted to improve in these areas. So when the system provided network structures to share and grow their expertise in these areas, many school leaders joined and the networks grew in number and effectiveness. But at all times participation in the networks was voluntary and network leadership an organic process.

Fostering professional collaboration

Peer-to-peer professional learning communities aligned to system priorities for principals and pre-principals only

a) Principal Learning

Teams (PLTS)

Expert leaders who are recognised by the system and mentor and develop other groups of leaders

b) Principal Capability Leaders



Create more system leadership opportunities: Create capability leaders who provide expertise and support to other principals

• Capability leaders are experts in particular areas that are related to WA’s system objectives and leadership priorities. This would be up to the department to determine but could include areas such as ‘holding effective professional conversations’, ‘implementing school-wide classroom observations’, ‘talent identification and development’.

• Capability leaders should also have more system-focused areas of expertise such as ‘leading an effective network’ or ‘operating a principal learning team’.

• Capability leaders are responsible for leading professional development of other school leaders, and providing mentoring and support for other school leaders.

• Capability leaders can also use their expertise to lead professional learning teams focused on their specific area of knowledge.

• Importantly, capability leaders are both principals and middle leaders. This fosters a system leadership perspective at all levels. The capability leaders work within their own networks but also go to different networks to offer assistance.

• To become a capability leader, school leaders apply to be assessed in a given capability area and if successful are chosen as an expert leader in that area. They must agree to undergo enhanced yearly performance management in order to qualify for the role.

• The program can start with a handful of capability leaders initially and expand based on supply and demand for particular areas of expertise.

• Capability leaders would be entitled to relief time of .5-1 day per week to perform their role.

Specialist Leaders of Education (SLEs) focus on developing leadership capacity. This role is about developing the capacity and capability of other leaders so that they have the skills to lead their own teams and improve practice in their own schools.

This may be done through one-to-one or group support and involves a variety of activities, such as:

• Data analysis

• Coaching

• Facilitating and training

• Joint action planning

SLEs are expected to provide evidence that their work has had a positive impact on outcomes for children and young people by developing leadership capacity in other schools. SLEs are appointed for four years.

To become an SLE, candidates must have been in a leadership role other than head teacher (principal) for at least two years. It is a pre-principal position. They must also have one specialist area of expertise from a list based on the focus areas in the Ofsted Common Inspection Framework. These include subject area as well as other areas such as initial teacher training, closing the gap and leadership of continuing professional development.

Source: National College for Teaching and Leadership (2014), Specialist leaders of education: a guide for potential applicants https://www.gov.uk/guidance/specialist-leaders-of-education-a-guide-for-potential-applicants

Case study: Specialist Leaders of Education, UK



Create more system leadership opportunities: Facilitate the creation of principal learning teams as part of repurposed networks

• Principal Learning Teams (PLTs) are a vehicle for spreading expertise across the system in a collegial way.

• PLTs operate in a similar manner to professional learning communities. Principals in a network get together and focus on a particular topic with the goal of improving their own leadership in a way that impacts student learning. By working together and guiding and challenging each others’ thinking, networks grow together and become more coherent.

• The PLTs in WA should be voluntary. They can be created within a network or around a leadership development school or a capability leader or be entirely original.

• The department’s role is to provide a theory of action and guidance on areas of inquiry that relate to the system objectives. They can also facilitate collaboration between PLTs to ensure that experiences are being shared and expertise is provided (in the form of a capability leader or a seminar) when necessary.

• In Ontario, PLTs are consistently rated by members as among the most

useful sources of their own professional growth.

• In order to ensure the PLTs are operating effectively, strong PLTs share their experiences across networks. They explain key steps and strategies that have ensured meaningful learning for their participants. Principals also attend symposiums and presentations by experts on how to run their PLTs effectively. This also provides them with direction moving forward.

• Principal learning teams are guided by a theory of action which directs their thinking, shown opposite.

• The project is annually evaluated by respected education academic, Dr. Ken Leithwood, to refine and monitor the process.

Case study: Principal Learning Teams, Ontario



Collaborative professional learning in principal learning teams should be structured around a cycle of inquiry

Example of what an inquiry cycle looks like for principal learning teams Across high-performing systems, learning communities have emerged as a cornerstone program for effective professional learning, using various forms of an inquiry cycle for improving practice.

From the needs analysis and setting objectives stages of collecting evidence and data on student learning, to actions for new leadership practices to improve student outcomes, and finally to monitoring and evaluating – through checking school-wide improvement over time, this cycle is the common element running through each system.

“We have found that as much as the time that is made available, if there isn’t a framework for collaboration, that time will be wasted.” - Inquiry leaders in British Columbia1

(1) Jensen, Sonnemann, Roberts-Hull, Hunter (2016). “Beyond PD: Teacher professional learning in high-performing systems.”

Stages Key questions Example team actions

Assess & prioritise objectives

Start with student achievement and instruction. What are some similar issues that your learning team is experiencing across schools? Do you want to focus on subject issues (e.g. numeracy), student sub group issues (e.g. students with special needs), or another shared issue?

The team identifies a shared issue with literacy achievement for students who learning English as a second language (ESL). Principals set goals for improving student achievement in this area by the end of the year.

Develop actions

As leaders, how can you develop skills to address this issue? The team can choose a few strategies to research and trial throughout the year. Strategies could include a variety of things principals have control over: adjusting the timetable, hiring a literacy coach, improving distributed leadership, increasing teacher classroom observations, etc.

The team decides to investigate and trial a few approaches: • Hiring a literacy specialist who will

share time across schools to train teachers

• Tracking ESL student progress monthly with teachers

• Supporting a teacher leader to hold extracurricular reading sessions after school for ESL students

Monitor & evaluate

Are there measurable improvements to student outcomes? The team should regular share practice and results so that everyone knows what works and what doesn’t. Goals and strategies can be shifted as learning occurs in the team.

Each leader sets measurable targets for student achievement improvement and reports back to the team on progress. When one principal explains the success of a particular literacy strategy, other principals visit the school to see it in action. They revise their own goals and strategies based on the joint learning process.


Needs analysis

Objectives

Actions Monitor

Evaluate


Part of the aim of developing system leadership is to get schools to care about not just themselves but all schools in the system. School pairing arrangements provide the opportunity for schools to provide peer support to one another. There are two models of school pairings:

• Model A is where one school receives a small grant to assist another school in a specific area. For example, one school may help another school to implement school wide classroom observation and feedback procedures because they had already gone through a similar process in their own school.

• Model B is where a high-performing and low performing school are paired together as is the case in programs in England and Shanghai. A contract is agreed between the high and low performing schools that determines the terms of the partnership. Partnerships will traditionally go for 2 years with schools working together on integral aspects of school improvement. Goals are set and after the 2 years if they have been met the high-performing school receives a pre-determined financial reward that largely covers their costs of the additional work.

Partnering with a high-performing school could come out of the ERG process as an option for struggling schools. At the end of the ERG process a school improvement plan is developed for the school with a check-in after 6 months. Instead, schools could opt-in to a partnership arrangement with the school of one of the principals performing the ERG. Anecdotally, this has been known to happen in an informal manner, whereby a principal on the ERG panel and the struggling school’s principal have developed a relationship and the principal on the panel has mentored them through the school improvement process.

The process is opt-in from both sides. No one is forced to be a part of the program. It should be communicated as an opportunity to receive mentoring and development from some of the best leaders in WA, rather than a punitive action. It should also be targeted at struggling schools with new principals who will be more eager to receive mentoring and guidance.

The program is a leadership development opportunity for everyone involved. The principal at one school mentors and guides the other school principal. A deputy or other aspiring leader or team of leaders at the first school will take responsibility for the actual running of the program at the other school, as the principal will have limited time. Hence it is a development opportunity for aspiring leaders as well. Schools will also swap staff to increase mobility between schools and provide different perspectives for lower level leaders.

Implementation should begin with designing the school pairing model and its supporting tools such as the contracts and a desired school improvement model. Then the application process should be opened up and piloted with 2-3 school pairs. The program should be monitored and evaluated and refined and expanded accordingly.

Policy action 4.2: Create a school pairing program where schools share knowledge and provide support to one another



Getting the design and implementation of a school pairing program right is essential

• Messaging is very important. If the program is thought of only as the strong helping the weak then schools in need of improvement will be reluctant to participate. Pairing should be branded as help for ‘effective principals in challenging schools’ or targeted at new principals who need additional support. As part of an ERG visit or school review, schools who have sought out support should be congratulated, clearly communicating that the program is a sign of strength rather than of weakness.

• Using the right criteria for matching schools is essential. High-performing schools do not necessarily need to be the top schools in the state. Pairing schools with vastly different student populations from different socio-economic backgrounds can be detrimental to the program. Leaders of more challenging schools who are performing above other schools with similar student profiles may have a lot more to offer struggling schools than high-performers operating in different circumstances.

Lessons learnt from the UK National and Local Leaders of Education (NLE) and National Support Schools (NSS) programs

• Partnering with a struggling school should be considered a badge of honour. To be considered for pairing, schools should be able to show that they have been voluntarily helping other schools. Peer refereeing is an effective way to identify schools.

• It is important to undertake rigorous supply and demand planning. If the schools requiring support are in different areas to supporting schools, then the model will not work.

• Schools need to show that they are having an impact. Schools should be required to provide regular progress reports to show they are having an impact. Too much reporting, however, can be an impediment – it is vital to get this balance right. In the UK, specially-created regional brokers monitor the pairings for the first few years, until schools were able to run them independently.

• School leaders should know about basic school turnaround strategies but also have an appreciation of context. They may need additional training in understanding how to apply different strategies to different contexts.



• Currently it is common for principals in WA to work at the same school for upwards of 5 years and people are not sure what the next stop on the career progression is after being a level six principal for 8-10 years.

• In order to improve the mobility of expertise across the system WA will explore options to transition principals to fixed term employment contracts and offer limited tenure.

• After the contract expires the principal will have to reapply for the position using the currently operating selection criteria at the time or apply for a position at another school.

• Selection criteria will be aligned to leadership priorities and the process for reapplication run through the traditional principal selection process (see policy area 1.3).

• Principals who are unsuccessful at finding a new position will go into the redeployment pool.

• In order to ensure this policy improves mobility, it will be unlikely for principals to successfully reapply for their job at the same school. However there will be special consideration given based on the school. A principal working at a remote disadvantaged school who wants to remain in the position and is of higher quality than the other candidates will most likely be successful in their reapplication.

• Note: Six years is the tenure chosen by other systems (e.g. Singapore, Hong Kong) that emphasise job rotation as a key part of leadership development. In these systems, it is considered that this is the time period when a leaders will have the greatest impact on a school.

This policy achieves several aims: 1. Encourages a system leadership perspective. Currently the

most sought after jobs are given to principals permanently, creating little motivation for them to give back to the system or improve their practice. Principals will be more likely to give back to the system if they know this will be part of the selection criteria for their next job.

2. Improves mobility. It will no longer be the norm and rather the exception for principals to stay at the same school for upwards of a decade. This improves mobility across a system as experienced leaders move to different schools across their careers.

3. Distribute quality leaders across WA. Alone, fixed term contracts or limited tenure will not improve quality leadership distribution between schools. However when coupled with additional development and supports for working at targeted regional or remote schools, principal contracts will help mobilise experienced and talented leaders to schools that ordinarily they wouldn’t have worked at.

4. Maintains a focus on leading a group of teachers to improve student learning. Principals can often become distracted with the operational side of running a school. If school leaders must reapply for their jobs, they will be required to show how they have improved instruction and hence student outcomes in the school. Being aware of this for the duration of their tenure will help ensure that the focus is on leading a group of teachers to improve student learning the entire time they occupy the role.

Policy action 4.3: Explore options to increase mobility among senior leaders including consideration of fixed term contracts and limited tenure


Phase 1 Begin new principals on fixed term contracts

Phase 2 Encourage veteran principals to move to

fixed term contracts

To consider: Phase 3 Roll out of fixed term contracts to all

principals

Example phasing


Policy action 4.4: Recognise system leadership in multiple ways (including selection decisions)

Currently most of the recognition of leaders across WA encourages leaders to think about their own school rather than the system as a whole. WA will ensure that leaders who look beyond their own school, and want to develop others, are rewarded and acknowledged for doing so. This sends a powerful signal across the system. The leadership strategy will achieve this by:

2. Including system leadership requirements as part of a principal’s performance management and selection (see performance management and selection sections) as well as including system leadership recognition as part of existing leadership awards. These will all focus on how the leader helped schools beyond their own. The same system leadership requirement will also apply to lower-level school leaders who successfully improved teaching and learning in other schools.

1. Continuing the IPS fellows program. The IPS fellows program aims to recognize effective leadership. Selection into the program considers effective school and system leadership and clearly carries the expectation of greater system leadership. Over time this expectation will grow and can play a greater role in selection into the program. The program can, therefore, act as recognition and reward for prior system-oriented actions.

Recognition can be varied and include media and community recognition and participation in special events. Simply sharing their practice with other leaders across the system (e.g. through conferences, webinars, journals, etc.) is always important for system and peer recognition.



Policy action 4.5: Provide effective coordination across all policy areas and actions linking across school, regions and central office – this could be achieved through a new Department leadership talent team • The difference between a strategy and a series of polices is the

alignment and linkages between each action. All of the policies in this strategy build off of one another and at times overlap. Hence it is important to enable central coordination of all of the policy areas and actions to maintain this alignment.

• In order to do so, someone must be in charge of the strategy and accountable for its outcomes.

• One option to do this is to create a leadership talent team (see leadership talent team slide). This team would be responsible oversight and implementation of the strategy and its ongoing execution. The team would also be responsible for monitoring, evaluating and refining all policies that form part of the strategy. They would analyse data, laisse with relevant department and provide guidance.

• The same team would also act as the project implementation team. They would oversee the planning, design, piloting and scaling of all the policies in the strategy.

• Maintaining effective coordination across school, regions and central office is essential to ensure that each element of the strategy is sending a clear an consistent message to all of the current and future leaders of WA.


• Leaders identify talent by using performance management data

• Performance data is also used during the selection process to make it more comprehensive

Performance management

• Data collected during the performance management process is used to support talent identification, selection, and development decisions

System leadership

• Many development opportunities are created though system leadership opportunities

• System leaders share knowledge that helps the development of others

Leadership development

• Specific, structured development opportunities are offered to those identified during talent identification

Effective coordination is key to ensure that the policy areas are aligned and build off of one

another


Part A: Strategy

Introduction















Implementation approach

Defining a robust leadership strategy is only the first step in supporting WA school leaders to raise teacher quality and improve student outcomes. The impact the strategy has on outcomes depends on how it is executed. Managing and monitoring of implementation activities is critical to the success of the strategy and is often deprioritised and under-invested in during education reform.

Successful implementation of the leadership strategy involves:

1. Prioritising policies and actions to implement 2. Completing detailed implementation project planning

(streams and phases of work) 3. Carrying out a series of implementation activities for each

policy, considering steps, dependencies, risks and mitigation strategies, and monitoring and evaluation


1. Identifying stakeholders and their needs and points of view 2. Identifying messages to be conveyed 3. Determining communication vehicles and delivering

messages 4. Monitoring and evaluating effectiveness of communications

Managing communications and engagement

1. Monitoring implementation against timelines, outcomes,

budget 2. Evaluating programs and policies in the short term 3. Evaluating strategies in the long-term

Monitoring and evaluation

1. Creating a leadership talent team which is responsible for the

co-ordination and implementation of the strategy

Governance and leadership

IMPLEMENTATION CONSIDERATIONS


Prioritising which policies and actions to implement

Learning First recommends that all policies in this leadership strategy be implemented, but we understand that a number of constraints may prevent that from happening. Prioritising which leadership strategy policies and actions to implement involves a number of considerations. Some – such as organisational readiness and detailed budgetary considerations – are outside the scope of this strategy. Indicators of impact, difficulty of implementation, upfront costs, ongoing costs and timing of return of investment are considered in this strategy.

Core frameworks Talent identification, selection, transition, succession planning and performance management are core building blocks of the leadership strategy. They are the long-term foundations for developing empowered school leaders across the system. Learning First recommends that all the talent management and performance management actions are implemented over a period of time as they strengthen and reinforce the other policies in the strategy.

Empowering school leaders The leadership strategy includes a number of policies to empower school leaders in an environment of increasing autonomy. Learning First recommends that the implementation plan looks at a combination of strategies for: pre-principals and principals; encouraging system leadership development; and encouraging leadership mobility across the system.

Monitoring and evaluation with strong use of data; Enable better co-ordination [4.5]

Talent identification and selection Better talent identification, selection, transition

and succession planning [1.1 - 1.5]

Performance management Enhanced performance management

[3.1 – 3.4]

Core frameworks

Empowering school leaders

Pre-principal & Principal Development

LDSs [2.1] Fast track program [2.2] Better and targeted

principal training and differentiated development programs [2.3]

Access to mentors [2.4]

System Leadership

Principal learning teams [4.1a]

Capability leaders [4.1b] School pairing [4.2] Acknowledge system

leadership [4.4]

Mobility

Target country regions for extra development [2.5]

Consider fixed term contracts and limited tenure [4.3]

Recommend a combination of policies



Prioritising policies and actions by indicators of impact, difficulty of implementation and cost

It is important to prioritise policies that will have the greatest impact while weighing up the difficulty of implementation and the costs.

Implementing high-impact strategies such as improving talent identification or refining the performance management process may be more difficult than other policies, but in the long term it will make a real difference to improving the quality of leadership across WA. Few systems are willing to take the plunge and implement high-impact long term strategies, but the ones that do see the most significant results.

Impa

ct

L

M

H

• (1.1) Better talent identification $ • (2.3) Better and targeted training and

differentiated development programs $$ • (3.1) Assess the level of support principals

receive based on analysis of experience and performance $$

• (3.2) Offer different levels of support and feedback on a principal’s performance $$

• (3.3) Systematically collect PM data $$$ • (4.1) Create more system leadership

opportunities $$ • (4.5) Enable better coordination $$

• (3.4) Develop a stronger performance management culture and skills $$$

• (2.4) Provide access to mentors $$

• (4.4) Acknowledge system leaders $

• (1.2) Better succession planning $$ • (1.3) Better selection processes $$ • (1.5) Better data $$$$ • (2.1) Establish LDSs $$ • (2.2) Create a fast track program $$$$ • (4.3) Explore options to increase mobility

among senior leaders $$

• (2.5) Target country regions for extra development $$$$

• (4.2) Create a school pairing program $$$

• (1.4) Better transition $$

The core frameworks collectively have the greatest impact as they reinforce and strengthen all of the other policies. Without talent identification, selection and performance management as the foundations, the impact of the other policies will be limited.

For other policies that fall in the middle, it is important to consider WA’s immediate priorities as well as budgetary and political considerations. For example, if regional concerns are a political priority, the policies related to mobility should be implemented first.

There are also some easy wins, including:

• Providing access to mentors for all principals by expanding the PAT (leverages an existing policy that is highly regarded by principals)

• Recognising system leadership through selection decisions or continuing the existing IPS fellows program Difficulty of implementation

$ - low cost $$ low-medium cost $$$ medium-high $$$$ high – Difficulty of implementation takes into account complexity of policy, the potential size of roll out, the number of departments / stakeholders involved, the extent to which a policy leverages an existing program and the amount of behavioural change required. More detailed tables indicating impact, difficulty and cost broken down by each action can be found Appendix B.

L M H



Completing detailed implementation project planning


Detailed implementation project planning involves identifying, scheduling and co-ordinating activities required to successfully deliver a project. Often these activities are divided into streams and phases of work.

The following slides give examples of how the work involved with implementing the leadership strategy could be broken up into streams, deliverables, and phases.

Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3

Stream 1

Stream 2

Stream 3

Stream 4

Stream 5

Work

Work

Work

Work

Work

Work

Work

Work

Work

Work Work Work

Streams of work break up projects into manageable chunks and enable work to be decoupled and delegated to different departments and leaders. The work is a series of activities that contribute to the production of deliverables and/or the achievement of key project milestones.

Phases of work break up projects into delineated time periods, to help sequence key activities and stagger the workload. The implementation of a policy can be phased over time, starting with design, then pilot, and then roll-out across the system. To further stagger the workload, commencing implementation of some policies can be delayed to later phases of the project.


Implementation project planning: example streams of work

• Which performance management policies will be implemented? • What needs to be designed to support these policies? • Who is involved in designing and piloting these? • How and when should they be implemented and evaluated?

• Which policies aimed at empowering school leaders will be implemented (pre-principal & principal, system, mobility)?

• What needs to be designed to support these policies?

• Who is involved in designing and piloting these?

• How and when should they be implemented and evaluated? • Which talent identification and selection policies

will be implemented? • What needs to be designed to support these

policies? • Who is involved in designing and piloting these? • How and when should they be implemented and

evaluated?

• What are the data requirements? • What are the IT systems requirements? • What can be done with existing IT systems? • What is the technology investment required? How will

it be implemented?

• What are the key roles needed to implement the leadership strategy?

• Is there strong executive ownership and unity of commitment?

• Who is responsible for the ongoing ownership, communication and evaluation of the leadership strategy?



Governance IT and data


Implementation project

Example streams of work for the implementation of the leadership strategy



Implementation project planning: example streams and deliverables

Example project streams

Description Example deliverables

Governance (including overall project communication, monitoring and evaluation)

This stream is responsible for the implementation project, and on-going leadership strategy ownership, including overall stakeholder management and communications, and overall monitoring and evaluation to ensure that the project delivers on its objectives.

• Overall implementation project plan • Overall evaluation framework; project

monitoring and evaluation reports • Communication and engagement plan • Budget; steering committee; project reports

Talent identification and selection policies

This stream is responsible for designing, piloting, evaluating and scaling any new talent identification, selection, succession planning and transition policies.

• Policy implementation plan • Detailed policy design / description • Supporting documentation for the policy:

procedures, guidance, tools • Policy pilot plan; pilot evaluation plan; pilot

evaluation report • Policy training modules • Communication messages for the policy • Policy roll-out (at scale) plan

Performance management policies

This stream is responsible for refining existing performance management policies.

Empowering school leaders policies

This stream is responsible for designing, piloting, evaluating and scaling any new pre-principal & principal, system and mobility leadership development policies.

Information technology and data

This stream is responsible for upgrading information systems to support the data requirements of the leadership strategy.

• Data requirements • IT systems plan(s) • IT training plan



Implementation project planning: example phases of work

Short term (1-2 yrs) Medium term (2-5 yrs) Long term (5+ yrs)

Governance

Core framework: Talent

identification and selection (TID)

policies

Core framework: Performance

management (PM) policies


policies (pre-principal, principal,

system, mobility)

Information technology and

data

Implementation planning Ongoing monitoring, communications, evaluation and re-planning

Refine & scale: Roll-out system-wide TID processes [1.1-1.5]

Design & pilot: Create TID guidance, collect data [1.1-1.5]

Improve: Link PM data [1.1 – 1.5]

Refine PM data collection : Systematically collect and

manage data [3.3]

Design & pilot: Differentiate based on performance, recommend

support [3.1-3.2]

Improve: Advance data [3.3]

Evaluate & refine Part 1: Update criteria for targeted programs, mentoring, acknowledgement [2.3, 2.4, 4.4]

Implement Part 1: Targeted programs, mentoring,

acknowledgement [2.3, 2.4, 4.4]

IT planning and requirements IT system pilot / upgrade / implementation and testing

Design and lay foundations Part 2: LDSs, system leadership [2.1, 4.1]

Pilot Part 2: LDSs, system leadership [2.1, 4.1] Evaluate & scale [2.1, 2.2 2.5, 4.1, 4.2,

4.3] Design & pilot Part 3: Fast track, regions, pairing, mobility [2.2, 2.5, 4.2, 4.3]


Design & lay foundations: Develop a stronger PM culture and skills [3.4]

Enable better coordination

[4.5]


Complete detailed implementation project planning: example phasing by policy

Policy First stage of implementation (usually short term) Second stage of implementation (usually medium term) Third stage of implementation (long term)

(1.1) Better talent identification Produce guidelines on talent identification for current leaders that show what to look for in emerging leaders, what steps to take after identification

Incorporate talent identification into performance management Leadership talent team uses performance management data to identify talent

(1.2) Better succession planning

Give leadership talent team succession planning role to manage data and have ultimate accountability for strong school transitions

Implement a system-wide process for examining succession planning data to determine potential vacancies

Link performance management data to identification of potential successors

(1.3) Better selection processes

Create guidance on the existing selection process and pilot a more comprehensive selection process Implement a more comprehensive selection process broadly Provide selection panels with career-long performance management data on candidates

(1.4) Better transition Hold leadership talent team accountable for effective transitions; provide guidance for schools on transitions; gather data on transition times.

Support relief time for transitions Review and improve transition process to ensure it meets needs (ongoing)

(1.5) Better data Collect data on applicants (selected and not selected) on selection criteria to be used in the long term to refine selection process

Connect this data to performance management data to determine if process accurately predicted candidate success

Continuously refine selection process and criteria based on data analysis

(2.1) Establish leadership development schools*

(Model A) Identify leadership development priority areas and select leadership development schools (Model B) Design structured internship program and pilot (Model B) Evaluate pilot and expand accordingly

(2.2) Develop emerging talent* Design program and coursework for fast track talent management program; pilot with 4-6 participants. Monitor and evaluate pilot and refine and expand accordingly

(2.3) Better and targeted principal preparation

Communicate the leadership development priority areas; design evaluative framework for programs Update selection and PM criteria to focus on priority areas; mandate evaluations for program providers and publish results

(2.4) Access to mentors Define mentoring framework and expectations; expand PAT by 2-4 new members and provide them with training; communicate role of the PAT

Evaluate and refine model and review/expand team size based on demand and effectiveness

(2.5) Target country regions for extra development*

Research, design and advertise regional development program; recruit and train 1-2 exceptional principals to act as executive principals

Pilot regional development program; implement executive principal model for 1-2 clusters of schools

Monitor and evaluate pilot and refine and/or expand accordingly

(3.1) Assess the level of support principals receive

Use a combination of data and professional judgement on the steps taken to improve their school to differentiate levels of principal performance

(3.2) Offer different levels of support and feedback on a principal’s performance

Encourage higher performing leaders to share their school improvement plans with their network for feedback; send PAT to help lower performing principals implement an effective school improvement process; the lowest performing leaders receive an ERG visit.

(3.3) Systematically collect PM data

Give leadership talent team role to collect and analyse performance management data for the purposes of selection, development opportunities and succession planning; begin collecting data

Establish an advanced data system to analyse performance data for decision-making across many areas (accountability, development, monitoring)

(3.4) Develop a stronger PM culture and skills

Provide guidance and set expectations on using inquiry cycle for performance management within schools

Provide greater guidance for leaders on designing leadership action plans

(4.1) Create more system leadership opportunities*

Communicate future changes to network structure so that networks can assess how people feel about maintaining current networks and potentially begin creating new networks

Change network structure to be voluntary; provide guidance for principal learning teams; determine areas where capability leaders are most needed and begin selection process

Monitor and evaluate new structures and positions and refine and/or expand accordingly

(4.2) Increase peer support* Design school pairing model and supporting tools; pilot program with 2-3 school pairs Monitor and evaluate pilot and refine and/or expand accordingly

(4.3) Increase mobility* Explore options to increase mobility; negotiate with professional bodies, associations and other stakeholders to draft new contracts; consider beginning new principals on fixed term contracts

Consider encouraging veteran principals to move to fixed contracts and rolling out fixed term contracts and limited tenure to all principals

(4.4) Acknowledge system leaders

Evaluate and continue IPS Fellows program Add system leadership requirements to selection and performance management criteria

(4.5) Enable better coordination

Create leadership talent team and hold them accountable for alignment and outcomes of the strategy

*The roll out of these policies could be staggered, pursuing 1-2 in the short term and commencing the implementation of the remainder in the medium term



Carrying out a series of implementation activities for each policy

Carrying out a series of activities is needed to successfully implement any new policy. The type of implementation activities to be undertaken will vary based on the policy.

The implementation of all policies should involve planning and governance, some form of design, communication, and monitoring and evaluation. The implementation of some policies may involve detailed design, piloting, and rolling-out at scale, across the system.

Example implementation activities Description

Plan and govern Overseeing, prioritising, sequencing, structuring, allocating, budgeting, risk managing and monitoring the work involved in implementing a policy. Involves project, communications & evaluation plans; governance structures

Pilot A small trial of a new policy in a limited set of schools to ensure it meets the needs of leaders and objectives of the strategy

Design Deciding and documenting the details of a policy / program (e.g. documenting guidance for leaders, designing details of the fast track program). The school improvement model should heavily influence the design of details

Communicating to leaders and other stakeholders what the new policy involves, how it links to other WA policies and the school improvement model, and the who / what / when / where / why of implementing it.

Rolling-out or sharing a policy across the entire system. This may be staggered over a period of time and regions / schools Scale

Communicate

Monitor and evaluate Ongoing collection of information about the effectiveness of the policy as it is being implemented, and used by stakeholders, to determine if it is meeting its intended objectives and how it can be improved upon



Implementation activities for talent identification and selection: steps, dependencies, risks and mitigation strategies

Policy Activities Steps Dependencies Role of centre Example risks Example implementation considerations

(1.1) Better talent identification

Plan & govern Design Monitor &

evaluate Communicate

• ST: Produce guidelines on talent identification for current leaders

• MT: Incorporate discussion of talent identification into performance management

• LT: Have a leadership talent team oversee and quality assure talent identification

• Clear expectations for emerging leaders

• Identify top talent with data

• Development opportunities for emerging leaders [2.2]

• Provide guidance • Talent ID is too reliant on individual principals, teachers and networks

• Short term: Minimise variation by providing guidance and exemplars on which emerging leadership qualities to look for

• Long term: Utilise performance management data to standardise identification across the system; encourage school leaders to identify talent through their own appraisal; central HR/principal checks of data


Plan & govern Monitor &


• ST: Give leadership talent team succession planning role to manage succession planning data and have ultimate accountability for strong school transitions

• MT: Implement a regular process across all networks/regions for examining succession planning data to determine potential vacancies

• LT: Link performance management data to identification of potential successors

• Advanced data on principal tenure and potential future vacancies

• Identify potential successors with data

• Dev. opportunities for potential successors [2.2 & 2.3]

• Collect and manage data

• Provide succession planning guidance to regions/networks

• Lack of availability of quality data to make succession planning and selection decisions

• Resources and systems to enable better collection, analysis and linkage of multiple sources of data at the region / network level (vacancy, aspirants, cessations, performance management)

(1.3) Better selection

Plan & govern Design Pilot Scale Monitor &


• ST: Create guidance on the existing selection process and pilot a more comprehensive selection process

• MT: Implement a more comprehensive selection process broadly

• LT: Provide selection panels with career-long performance management data on candidates

• PM data [3.3] • Provide guidance on selection process and selection pilots

• Collect and analyse selection data linked to performance data

• Enhanced process is too time-consuming and resource-heavy

• Lack of consistency / quality of selectors

• Pilot enhanced selection processes (e.g. for fast track programs). Refine these over time using outcome data to balance comprehensiveness and efficiency, and then scale across all roles

• Careful identification and training of selectors

(1.4) Better transition



• ST: Hold leadership talent team accountable for effective transitions; provide guidance for schools on transitions; gather data on transition times.

• MT: Support relief time for transitions • LT: Review and improve transition process to

ensure it meets needs (ongoing)

• Early selection based on early succession planning [1.2 & 1.3] to ensure transition time

• Data on current issues with transitions

• Provide guidance on school transitions

• Monitor and quality control school transitions

• Support relief time

• Lack of lead-time for vacancies

• Resourcing / time required for handover

• Enforce transfer / notice periods, encourage earlier notice; have contingency transition plans for short-notice periods

• Allocate funds for relief and travel to enable transition time for in-coming principal, over 1-2 terms

(1.5) Better data

Plan & govern Monitor &


• ST: Collect data on applicants (selected and not selected) on selection criteria to be used in the long term to refine selection process

• MT: Connect this data to performance management data to determine if process accurately predicted candidate success

• LT: Continuously refine selection process and criteria based on data analysis

• PM data [3.3] and effective PM [3.1, 3.4]

• Data system that can collect candidate information during selection process

• Create dashboards of PM data linked to talent ID and selection that can be accessed by local decision-makers

• Lack of quality, integrated data

• Comprehensive IT planning and IT systems implementation to support the leadership strategy



Implementation activities for leadership development: steps, dependencies, risks and mitigation strategies


(2.1) Establish centres of leadership excellence across the system

Plan & govern Design Pilot Scale Monitor & evaluate Communicate

• ST: (Model A) Identify leadership development priority areas and select leadership development schools

• MT: (Model B) Design structured internship program and pilot

• LT: (Model B) Evaluate pilot and expand accordingly

• Identify top talent with data [1.1, 1.2] • PM data [3.3] and school review data

• Set leadership priorities

• Select schools • Oversee and

monitor program • Co-ordinate support • Provide funding

• Wrong schools selected

• Lack of resource / time allocation in schools

• Selection process tied to existing Expert Review Group processes for outstanding schools; ongoing monitoring

• Additional funding / resources for selected schools

(2.2) Develop emerging talent


• ST: Design program and coursework for fast track talent management program; pilot with 4-6 participants.

• MT: Monitor and evaluate pilot and refine and expand accordingly

• Identify high potential candidates with data [1.1]

• Evaluate impact with data • Leadership development school internships

[2.1] • Mentoring [2.4] and performance feedback

opportunities

• Select participants • Oversee and

monitor program

• Wrong applicants selected

• Fast trackers ostracised by colleagues; not building a wide enough pool

• Enhanced selection process for program; review outcomes

• Ensure other leadership development opportunities are available to aspirants; scale aspects of the fast track program

(2.3) Better and targeted principal preparation and differentiated development programs

Plan & govern Design Monitor & evaluate Communicate

• ST: Communicate the leadership development priority areas; design evaluative framework for programs

• MT: Update selection and PM criteria to focus on priority areas; mandate evaluations for program providers and publish results

• Enhanced school leader selection criteria focused on priority areas [1.3]

• PM structures in place [3.1] • A means of determining leadership

development priorities in WA ([3.3], school review data, student achievement data) and clear school improvement model

• An effective market for training programs • Identify targeted development needs [3.2]

• Set and communicate leadership priorities

• Provide evaluative framework

• Set selection and PM criteria

• Performance management not strong enough to encourage targeted training

• Lack of evaluation / outcome data

• Poor performance / lack of improvement has consequences

• Resources and systems to enable better collection and analysis of data (training outcomes, performance management)

(2.4) Provide access to mentors for all principals

Plan & govern Scale Monitor & evaluate Communicate

• ST: Define mentoring framework and expectations; expand PAT by 2-4 new members and provide them with training; communicate role of the team

• MT: Evaluate and refine model and review/expand team size based on demand and effectiveness

• A means to identify principals who can mentor others [3.3]

• Monitoring PAT effectiveness [3.3] • Recognising principals to be a part of PAT

[4.4]

• Train and co-ordinate PAT

• Lack of enough quality mentors

• Lack of principal time / motivating factors to mentor

• Phased approach to selection and development of mentors

• Document expectations regarding time; tie mentoring to performance management

(2.5) Target country regions for extra development


• ST: Research and design and advertise regional development program; recruit and train 1-2 exceptional principals to act as executive principals

• MT: Pilot regional development program; implement executive principal model for 1-2 clusters of schools

• LT: Monitor and evaluate pilot and refine and/or expand accordingly

• Data to identify regional and remote schools in need of turnaround

• A means to evaluate impact ([3.3], school review data)

• A means to increase collaboration and support between schools [4.1, 4.2]

• Better selection and transition processes [1.2, 1.3]

• Identify exceptional principals with data ([3.3], school review data)

• A means of training and preparing executive principals

• Select participants • Oversee and

monitor development and supports

• Determine clusters and appoint executive principal

• Lack of quality, quantity and breadth of support that improves student outcomes in disadvantaged settings

• Make a significant investment in ongoing development and specialised support from support options proven to improve outcomes in disadvantaged schools



Implementation activities for performance management: steps, dependencies, risks and mitigation strategies


(3.1) Assess the level of support principals receive based on analysis of experience and performance

Plan & govern Pilot Scale Monitor &

evaluate

• ST: Use a combination of data and professional judgement to differentiate levels of principal performance

• DES review process

• School performance data

• NSOS data

• Principal 360 data

• Development opportunities (IPS Fellows, leadership development schools [2.1], school pairings[4.2], capability leaders [4.1], development programs [2.3], PAT [2.4])

• Review principal performance

• Categorise principals

• Principals not responsive to recommendations

• Principals uncomfortable with idea of receiving a rating

• Encourage continuous improvement and collaboration across the system through selection criteria and criteria for highly sought after opportunities such as IPS fellows

• Maintain confidentiality of ratings


Plan & govern Design Pilot Scale Monitor &


• ST: Encourage higher performing leaders to share their school improvement plans with their network for feedback; send PAT to help lower performing principals implement an effective school improvement process; the lowest performing leaders receive an ERG visit.

• PAT [2.4]

• ERG process

• Network structure

• Make recommendations for support to principals

• Lack of capacity for PAT to support principals

• Networks not operating effectively

• Principals not equipped to give each other feedback

• Expand and train more members of the PAT to meet demand

• Encourage creation of organic networks based on need

• Additional training for principals in giving effective feedback via the PAT, LDSs or capability leaders in this area

(3.3) Systematically collect performance management data



• ST: Give leadership talent team role to collect and analyse performance management data for the purposes of selection, development opportunities and succession planning

• LT: Establish an advanced data system to collect and analyse performance data for decision-making across many areas (accountability, development, and monitoring & evaluation)

• Selection [1.3, 1.5], talent identification [1.1], succession planning [1.2], selection into fast track programs [2.2], system leadership roles [4.1] and system and regional leadership awards [4.4] will also rely on this type of data

• This data will be collected through the current performance management process

• Collect and analyse PM data

• Lack of linked data; lack of availability / access to data

• Resources and systems to enable better collection, analysis, linkage and easy access to multiple sources of data (vacancy, aspirants, PM, training) by the people who need it to make decisions (e.g. selection panels)

(3.4) Develop a stronger performance management culture and skills



• ST: Provide guidance and set expectations on using school improvement model for performance management within schools

• MT: Provide greater guidance for leaders on designing leadership action plans

• School improvement model • Requirement that principals must create

leadership action plans

• Provide guidance

• Set expectations

• Principals do not understand the model

• Principals feel their autonomy is encroached upon

• Provide additional training • Refrain from mandating a model, only

provide guidance



Implementation activities for system leadership: steps, dependencies, risks and mitigation strategies


(4.1) Create more system leadership opportunities


• ST: Communicate future changes to network structure so that networks can assess how people feel about maintaining current networks and potentially begin creating new networks

• MT: Change network structure to be voluntary; provide guidance for PLTs; determine areas where capability leaders are most needed and begin selection process

• LT: Monitor and evaluate new structures and positions and refine and/or expand accordingly

• Acceptance of purpose and structure of networks; communications about networks

• System leadership opportunities provided in other policies (e.g. LDSs [2.1], mentors [2.4], school pairing program [4.2])

• Data to identify principal capability leaders [3.3]

• Monitoring capability leader effectiveness [3.3]

• A means to identify leaders in need of support from capability leaders ([3.3], PAT [2.4])

• Provide guidance for PLTs

• Determine leadership priority areas

• Select capability leaders

• Oversee and monitor capability leaders and PLTs

• Communicate and change network structure

• Time / competing priorities for capability leaders

• How to prioritise time between networks, PLTs, coaching, etc.

• Additional funding for relief time or small stipend for capability leaders

• Guidance on expectations of principal’s role, time and priorities for development opportunities; stagger the implementation of various system leadership initiatives to ensure opportunities are spread throughout the system and not reliant on a select few schools / leaders

(4.2) Increase peer support


• ST: Design school pairing model and supporting tools; pilot program with 2-3 school pairs

• MT: Monitor and evaluate pilot and refine and/or expand accordingly

• Data to identify schools in need of assistance (e.g. school review data, ERG reviews, remote development grant schools [2.5])

• A means to identify schools with leadership expertise ([3.3], school review data)

• School improvement model • A means to evaluate outcomes (school

review data, PM data [3.3])

• Select and coordinate school pairings

• Oversee and monitor program

• Provide funding

• Resourcing / time required to support paired school

• Additional funding / resources for selected schools

(4.3) Increase mobility


• ST: Explore options to increase mobility; negotiate with professional bodies, associations and other stakeholders to draft new contracts; consider beginning new principals on fixed term contracts or limited tenure

• MT: Consider encouraging veteran principals to move to fixed contracts and rolling out fixed term contracts and limited tenure to all principals

• Endorsement from professional bodies and associations

• Better succession planning [1.2], selection process [1.3] & transition time [1.4]

• Negotiate contracts • Resistance from associations, unions, other detractors

• Implement a carefully managed stakeholder consultation and engagement plan to address benefits, transitioning and any misinformation



• ST: Evaluate and continue IPS Fellows program

• MT: Add system leadership requirements to selection and PM criteria

• Data to identify IPS Fellows (school review data, evaluations from other policies [4.1, 4.2])

• Enhanced school leader selection criteria [1.3]

• Select and co-ordinate IPS Fellows

• Set selection and PM criteria

• Resentment from those not selected for recognition

• ST: Maximise transparency of selection criteria for recognition; ensure regional recognition

• LT: Utilise PM data to standardise recognition across the system



• ST: Create leadership talent team and hold them accountable for alignment and outcomes of the strategy

• Strategy implementation • Coordinate all policy actions across strategy

• Creation of an additional layer of bureaucracy

• Give team clear roles and responsibilities and hold them accountable for outcomes rather than compliance measures


Part A: Strategy

Introduction















Effective communication and engagement is critical to the success of the strategy

Effective communication to and engagement of stakeholders is critical to the implementation of the leadership strategy. A perfectly designed strategy will fall short if it is unable to motivate stakeholders to adopt its desired changes.

The situation analysis highlighted a lack of clarity around some of WA’s leadership objectives and policies. For example:

• Some principals didn’t understand what was expected of them and what they could expect from central office in a system with increased autonomy

• Few principals that we spoke to were aware that they could call on the PAT for support

• Principals had varied understandings of what it meant to be a system leader in WA. Many viewed it as secondments to central office.

It is important to put in place an explicit communications strategy to built a shared understanding around the expectations of principals and elements of the leadership strategy.

An effective communications strategy consists of the following steps:

1. Identifying stakeholders and their needs and points of view

2. Identifying messages to be conveyed

3. Determining communication vehicles and delivering messages

4. Monitoring and evaluating effectiveness of communications

1. Identifying stakeholders

and their needs and points of

view

2. Identifying messages to be

conveyed

3. Determining communication

vehicles and delivering messages

4. Monitoring and evaluating effectiveness of communications

COMMUNICATIONS & ENGAGEMENT


All key stakeholders need to be identified

Resister Neutral Supporter

H M L

Leve

l of P

ower

/Influ

ence

Level of Support

High Support / High Influence

• Use these stakeholders as your advocates / change agents

• Keep them satisfied • Provide them with

information • Seek feedback from them • Get them involved in the

change

High Support / Low Influence • These stakeholders are your

fan club • Keep them satisfied and

informed • Seek feedback from them • Get them involved in the

change but do not devote large amounts of time or resources to them

Low Support / High Influence • These are your opponents • Mange them closely and

engage them regularly, seeking their input and feedback

• Identify and address their concerns

• Explain impacts, implications and benefits to them

Low Support / Low Influence • Minimise your effort with

these stakeholders • Manage “Resisters” with

medium influence • Understand their concerns • Explain impacts and

implications to them

1. Identifying stakeholders and their needs and points of view. Identify all the stakeholders and determine their perceived level of support and influence. This allows communications to be targeted in different ways to different stakeholders.

Those in the high support, high influence quadrant are the ones responsible for selling the strategy and act as the major change agents. The main advocates for the strategy should be WA principals. Support from 1-2 key academics would also help to promote the strategy.

2. Use the perceived levels of support and influence of each stakeholder to determine the objectives of the communications for each stakeholder. Namely, what is desired from the stakeholder and hence what messages need to be conveyed and in what way.

For example, the strategy requires principals to take responsibility for identifying talent in their own schools. Principals need to be both informed that this is expected of them and motivated to do so. Hence the messages communicated should be:

a) Principals are now expected to identify talent within their own schools

b) Principals are key to developing quality leaders throughout the system

c) Principals will be recognised for identifying and developing talent

Source: Adapted from Moffit, A., Barber, M. and Kihn, P. (2010), Deliverology 101: A Field Guide For Educational Leaders



Determining the different objectives, key messages and vehicles of communication is essential

2. Identifying messages to be conveyed: Based on this stakeholder analysis, begin to draft key messages for the strategy. Recommended key messages are on the following slide. For all stakeholders it will be important to communicate the rationale of the leadership strategy.

3. Determining communication vehicles and delivering messages: While some messages can be sent out in an email, others will require face-to-face meetings with stakeholder groups to facilitate engagement and buy-in.

Engaging in consultation with stakeholders or creating a working group to design particular programs (e.g. the fast track talent management program) is a good way of sending a positive message about the program and obtaining buy-in from potentially oppositional stakeholders.

Sending out leadership publications that provide clear definitions about system objectives, priorities and policies help create a common understanding and a common language across the system. For example, publications could focus on what it means to have effective professional conversations with staff.

4. Monitoring and evaluating effectiveness of communications: Finally, monitor stakeholder engagement throughout the roll-out of the strategy and refine communication accordingly. This could be through surveys, focus groups or individual meetings or check-ins.


Stakeholders to consider

• Principals (metropolitan, regional, remote, primary, secondary, special education)

• Middle level leaders / deputies • Teachers • Regional Executive Directors • Central Office Directors / Assistant Directors • Professional associations • Institute for Professional Learning • Universities / training providers • Parent associations • General public


Key messages for the strategy

Key messages Rationale Example messages to principals and approach

1. Leadership is critical to improving student outcomes in WA

Research evidence and comments from the principal focus groups emphasise the importance of improving leadership in WA.

• School leaders have a substantial impact on student outcomes. High-performing systems have comprehensive leadership strategies to identify talent early, develop leaders continually and focus them on improving student learning.

2. WA has four leadership priorities as part of the leadership strategy

Principals and aspiring principals desire a clearer understanding of what the system is expecting of them and in what areas they need to develop.

• WA’s four leadership priorities are 1. Leaders who lead others to improve student learning; 2. Leaders who effectively operationalise the key steps of school improvement; 3. Leaders who set clear performance expectations and have professional conversations that result in actions to increase performance; 4. Leaders who take responsibility for the overall health and improvement of all WA schools.

• Leaders in WA will be identified, selected and appraised based on how well they meet these criteria.

3. The leadership strategy has been shaped by WA’s principals

Principals want to know that their feedback in the focus groups contributed to the overall design of the strategy.

• The strategy has been designed as a result of face-to-face consultations with nearly 200 of WA’s principals and contributions from a Connect Community of which over 500 WA principals are members.

4. The strategy is about improving school and system while maintaining school autonomy

Principals in WA need to feel that the strategy is not encroaching on their earned autonomy.

• The strategy provides guidance for school leaders without encroaching on their autonomy. Principals can expect more guidance and clearer expectations from central office (e.g. principals will be provided with clearer guidance on topics such as how to identify talent in their own schools) but are expected to adapt the guidance to their unique school community using their professional judgement.

5. The principalship is an rewarding career choice

Some WA principals worry that their role is not attractive to the next generation of teachers.

• The role of the principal is rewarding and the system will recognise your efforts. Principals can expect rich opportunities for development and support, such as an expanded PAT. Great leaders will have their expertise recognised as capability leaders, IPS Fellows and through selection and performance management decisions.

• The system should consider doing a series of case studies on exceptional leaders to promote the role.

6. There will be clearer expectations of leaders and more structured opportunities for development and progression

Principals and aspiring principals want a better understanding about what is expected of them at different levels and in what areas they need to develop in order to progress.

• Rich principal development opportunities provide clearer leadership pathways for current and aspiring leaders. High quality talent will have a clear path to the principalship via the fast track management program. All current principals can expect clearer expectations through their performance management feedback alongside greater supports through the expansion of the PAT and targeted development programs.

• WA’s most experienced leaders will be expected to give back to the system. They will have opportunities to act as system leaders, providing support and guidance to other schools and networks. Accomplished principals can act as mentors, capability leaders, run a leadership development school or partner with another school to provide them with additional support.

• Leaders working at targeted regional and remote schools can expect additional development and support tailored to their unique needs. They will receive targeted training, mentoring and specialised central office supports to account for the acknowledged challenges of running one of these schools.

7. School leaders will have more opportunities for collaboration and feedback

Principals need feedback in order to continually improve their practice. Some WA principals want more feedback from peers and more opportunities to collaborate and improve professional conversations.

• Greater accountability for school improvement means that principals will have to collaborate with peers or members of the PAT to operationalise their school improvement plans, receiving valuable feedback in the areas where it matters most. Evidence suggests that schools need to build cultures of reflection and continuous improvement at all levels to improve student learning. Ensuring that everyone, including principals are setting development goals through their leadership action plans and receiving coaching and feedback is a key part of developing these cultures. Principals will also have opportunities to engage in collaborative inquiry by taking part in a principal learning team.

8. Early talent identification and succession planning will create a larger pool of well-prepared leaders

Talent identification and succession planning needs to be more systematic so that there is a broader pool of excellent leaders ready to successfully lead schools to better student outcomes. WA principals also worry that the selection process is currently too narrow.

• Principals will have more support to identify talent and ensure successful transitions. This will include guidance on what to look for in emerging leaders and clearly articulated leadership pathways so that principals can recommend next steps for those they identify. Outgoing principals will have support to ensure a successful transition to new principals.

• The principal selection process will be more comprehensive. A new process will ensure that more information will be gathered on candidates than just from applications and interviews.

• Succession planning will not just be the job of the principal. Instead it will be a system-wide effort to identify potential successors early and ensure they have the right skills to be successful.

9. There will be increased use of quality data and evaluation

Limited data is systematically collected and analysed on the quality of leadership talent in WA. Training programs and some policies are not always evaluated.

• Programs and policies will be evaluated against WA’s system objectives and leadership priorities and data collected and used for long term talent management. Performance management data will be collected and used for talent identification, selection and succession planning.



What does the leadership strategy mean for school leaders?

• Access to mentors • Differentiated performance

management supports

• Principal learning teams

• School pairing • Better mobility • Repurposed

networks

• Leadership development schools

• Capability leaders • Fast track program • Extra development for

leaders of country schools • Targeted and differentiated

development programs • Executive principals

• Leadership awards • Exciting opportunities

(i.e. capability leaders)

• Enhanced selection and transition processes

• Use of data to improve talent identification and succession planning

• Clearer expectations • Guidance in key areas of

leadership and school improvement

• Judgements about performance

Personal growth

Collaboration

Expertise Talent management

Recognition

Expectations and guidance

Strong and empowered leadership in

every WA school

New development opportunities Enabling structures



Where the leadership strategy will take us…

Unclear career pathways for young leaders Clear pathways established and supported for young leaders

A continuum of development opportunities specifically tailored to performance and progress throughout the leadership pipeline

A selection process based on a narrow range of information A comprehensive selection process for all public school principals in WA that is based on extensive performance information and is linked to WA’s leadership priorities

Extensive range of differentiated support tailored to the location, experience and capacity of the principal

A stronger focus on the extent to which high performance is being achieved by school leaders and the support needed to facilitate this

Performance management processes designed to meet administrative requirements and to justify professional development

Inconsistent support for new principals

Leadership responsibility exercised in relation to a single school Opportunities for high performing principals to extend their leadership influence beyond their school

FROM TO

Ad hoc talent identification A systematic approach to the identification and tracking of potential leaders

Development programs not tailored to different performance levels or stages of a leader’s career

Limited principal mobility Opportunity for greater principal mobility

Minimal use of data at system level for leadership planning Systematic data collection for talent identification and leadership tracking

Fragmented approach to leadership development Comprehensive leadership strategy – a key element of the department’s reform agenda

Standards about effective school leadership Clear leadership priorities that establish expectations for principals

Leadership focus on general school improvement Leadership focus on specifically targeting improved teacher quality as the key objective



Communications around the consultation phase and publication of the situation analysis

As part of the strategy it is important to communicate the results from the consultation phase to principals who were engaged in the focus groups or online via the Connect Community. The results of this phase were documented in the situation analysis which could be distributed via the Connect Community. The department should review the situation analysis and decide whether they want to distribute the entire document or an abridged version based on the prioritised policies in the strategy. The most effective timing for this communication will be after the department has a clear idea about which elements of the strategy will be implemented and prioritised. This way the department can employ this communication for the purposes of obtaining buy-in from principals for the strategy as a whole. Linking the strategy to the feedback from the consultations will help emphasise that this strategy was co-constructed with WA’s school leaders.

Some recommended key messages to communicate from this phase are: Relevant features of the strategy

• Young leaders (in middle management positions) want to succeed but do not know the career pathways of how to get there

Clear expectations through performance management feedback, increased guidance in areas such as talent identification and expanded development and support opportunities, particularly for targeted regional and remote principals

• Development programs are inconsistent and not available for all stages of a leader’s career

A suite of development opportunities including the fast track talent management program for early leaders, the leadership development schools for aspiring leaders and targeted development programs for current leaders

• The recruitment process is too narrow and does not consistently guarantee the most suitable candidate will get the job

An enhanced selection process for all principals in WA that takes time to collect valuable candidate information and is linked to WA’s leadership priorities

Expansion of the PAT to provide access to mentors for all principals who require support

Additional feedback and development opportunities through the performance management supports and opportunities for collaboration in the principal learning teams and school pairing programs

• There is a need to improve professional conversations and develop a systemic culture of feedback and performance management

• The Principal Advisory Team (PAT) and other principal support teams are well-regarded and offer the support that principals need

• People are not sure what the next stop on the career progression is after being a Level 6 principal for 8-10 years

Multiple new opportunities for system leadership including running a leadership development school, taking part in the school pairing program or becoming a capability leader


Part A: Strategy

Introduction















WA should improve monitoring and evaluation as part of the leadership strategy implementation

The situation analysis identified several limitations related to data collection and analysis.

In particular there were three main issues:

1. There is no systematic way of monitoring talent throughout the system

2. There is limited evaluation of leadership development programs and departmental policies

3. There is no systematic succession planning using vacancy data and estimates

Monitor talent Evaluate programs and policies Succession planning

• Monitoring talent is an essential component to every part of this leadership strategy.

• Data from selection and performance management processes can be used to determine which leaders are excelling or struggling and the department can then utilise them or support them accordingly.

• Information on who is graduating from principal training programs can also inform the system’s pool of aspiring leaders in conjunction with performance management and selection data.

• The leadership strategy will set guidelines to evaluate programs against the leadership priorities and the objectives of the system.

• An evaluation framework should also be set up for all new policies when they are originally designed. This should consider what data should be collected throughout the implementation of the policy to determine whether it is working.

• Evaluation should always be based on whether the program or policy is achieving its desired objectives.

• Succession planning should be linked to the department’s strategic planning.

• Data needs to be collected on not only current vacancies but also vacancies in the next 2-5 years.

• This helps match the supply of leaders to the demand. It will inform the department’s leadership development strategy. For example, demand estimates will help determine intakes for the fast track program and the number of leadership development schools.

EVALUATION APPROACH


Evaluation is a key part of improving performance and decision-making

Evaluation should not just be done at the end of a program to see if it worked. Instead, evaluation should be used as an ongoing management and learning tool to continuously improve effectiveness. The term ‘evaluation’ refers to a process of gathering data and analysing it in a way that provides information to allow for a judgement of whether or not a program is achieving objectives. An evaluation should feed into regular decision-making, such as decisions around funding, program design and accountability.

Most evaluations can be done internally for the purpose of management decision-making. However, sometimes large-scale external evaluations are required.

Rationale for evaluation and what it requires

• Process for collecting and analysing data

• Objectives for the program (the evaluation will determine whether objectives are being met)

• Demonstrate achievement of results

• Ensure funding is not wasted on programs that have no impact

• Continuously improve existing programs

Strong evaluation requires:

Validity

In consultation with stakeholder groups, identify needs that are being met by a program and the evidence that would suggest whether, how, and to what extent the needs are being met

Rigour

Soundly and systematically apply appropriate, well-designed data collection methods and interpretive strategies to provide clear and accurate information that can be relied upon

Utility

Provide timely, accurate, and practical information that meets the needs of the range of stakeholder groups and promote the effective use of findings

Feasibility Complete evaluation within practical constraints and available resources and in a cost-effective manner

Transparency

Comprehensive, systematic, and well-justified recording and reporting of all aspects of the evaluation including choice of methods and analyses as well as the conclusions drawn

General principals of good evaluation1

(1) Adapted from NSW DET General Principles of Evaluation

Evaluation is important to:

EVALUATION APPROACH


Common concerns about evaluation

Source: Adapted from Metz (2007), “Why conduct a program evaluation?”

There are some common concerns about evaluation that may prevent the process from occurring. Many of these concerns are legitimate, but they can be addressed fairly easily:

Concern How to address

Evaluation is too costly or too resource-intensive

It is true that evaluation will take some upfront resources (typically about 10% to 20% of an overall program budget). However, what is learned from an evaluation can help streamline resources to focus on what is working to achieve objectives.

Evaluation will be too complicated

While some evaluations are complex, evaluation designs can be simple and straightforward. To make evaluations more simple, it helps to design them before program launch, so that all pieces of data collection are thought out beforehand and do not have to be added on at the end.

Evaluation will be an additional burden on staff

In order to minimize the potential burden on staff, evaluation activities can be incorporated into ongoing program management activities, not just at the end of a program.

Evaluation will produce negative results

Finding out “what does not work” is as important as finding out “what does work.” It is particularly important to find ineffective and costly programs in order to divert resources to things that have a greater impact.

Evaluation is just another form of program monitoring

Program monitoring assesses whether a program is in compliance with specified performance standards (e.g. number of leaders served), while an evaluation assesses whether expected outcomes were achieved.

EVALUATION APPROACH


Data collection underpins each of the policy areas

Talent identification and selection • Talent identification relies on effective collection of

performance management data • The selection process utilises performance

management data • Early identification of principal vacancies allows a

more comprehensive selection process and time to recruit talent

Performance management • Performance management data is collected

and used for identification and selection purposes

• Performance management data also informs the support and formal or informal development that a leader will undergo

System leadership • School performance data and performance

management data help determine which schools and leaders are in a position to give back to the system by being paired with a school that is struggling

• Performance data helps determine which principals and schools need support from the system

Leadership development • School performance data and performance

management data help determine which schools and leaders are in a position to develop other leaders through becoming a leadership development school or mentor

• Program evaluation will inform aspiring leaders which programs are best for them to develop the skills the department has prioritised

EVALUATION APPROACH


WA can model data collection on systems like Ontario, where there is robust collection and analysis of data for improving school leadership

Talent identification and succession planning

• Number and percentage of principals eligible for retirement in the next 2, 5 and 10 years (with fixed term principal contracts this will be easier to match)

• Number and percentage of low performing schools that have shown no growth for 3 years under the same principal

• Performance management results throughout career • Number of aspiring principals likely to graduate in the next

2-3 years from principal preparation programs

Supporting leaders

• Number and percentage of principals in their first 2 years of being a principal

• Number and percentage of principals working in schools within the lowest performance levels in the state

• Survey feedback on the supports available to leaders

Evaluating programs and policies

• Number and percentage of principals trained at each principal training programs working in WA

• Percentage of participants in each principal preparation program taking principal placements in WA within 3 years of training

• Percentage of principals graduating from programs showing 2 or more consecutive years of growth at their school

Selection • Previous portfolios for applications • Performance management results throughout career • Percentage of high-quality candidates, as determined by

the selection process, that show two or more years of consecutive growth at their school

Examples of the types of data WA should collect:

Source: Adapted from Campbell & Gross (2012), Principal Concerns: Leadership Data and Strategies for States

Examples of the additional data Ontario collects: For succession planning: • Data around retirement processes • Workplace climate surveys • Board leadership development strategy surveys • Ministry operational reviews • External audits of leadership development/

succession planning processes

For leader appraisal: • Credit accumulation • Graduation rates • Pass rates • Enrolment in courses • Safe school indicators (suspension, attendance

data) • Survey results • Comprehension, Attitude, Strategies, Interest

(CASI) data • Report card results • Self-assessment results • Pre- and post-test results for specific student

performance objectives • Results of focus on subgroups (boys / girls,

students with special education needs) • Findings from parent focus groups • Behavior tracking results • Office referral data (absenteeism, bullying)

EVALUATION APPROACH

Part A: Strategy

Introduction















Across the entire strategy, the role of central office is to set expectations, give guidance, recognise quality, create incentives and provide support to shape people’s actions in an increasingly autonomous system

Central office

Central guidance with local adaptation

Central office is responsible for creating shared expectations and establishing system-wide processes. However, decision-making is held primarily at the local level.

Local decision-makers (e.g. school leaders) have guidance and support for development, performance management, and recruitment and selection – but there are not rigid requirements and local adaptation is encouraged.

Central office is responsible for:

• Articulating best practice

• Setting expectations of leaders

• Holding local actors accountable

• Sharing information

• Creating the right incentives

• Providing guidance on best practice school improvement

• Creating guidance for policy and program implementation

• Providing supports (e.g. funding or expertise) for improvement

Other local actors

Schools

Regions

Examples of how central office can support local decision-making:

• Provide explicit guidance and case studies for new policy implementation

• Give schools information to guide the development of local policies and procedures

• Create standards and ensure common measurement and evaluation

• Systematically manage data on talent but give local schools/regions access to the data for decision-making

• Set standards and expectations

• Set policy • Undertake system-

level planning • Allocate funding • Articulation of best

practice • Quality assurance

and accountability • Information sharing • Guidance and

support

GOVERNANCE AND LEADERSHIP


Example of how guidance and coordination can be enacted: leadership talent team

The department should create a leadership talent team which is responsible for the outcomes of the strategy.

This team will be responsible for oversight and implementation of the strategy, and it’s ongoing coordination, such as providing guidance, managing data and liaising with relevant departments (i.e. state-wide services, recruitment, HR). The team will also be responsible for monitoring, evaluating and refining all policies that form part of the leadership strategy.

The same team should also act as the project implementation team, overseeing the planning, design, piloting and scaling of all the policies.

Issuing guidance

The leadership talent team would be responsible for issuing all forms of guidance required as part of the strategy including:

• Guidance on the selection process – what is mandatory, what is optional, how to gather more comprehensive data, and relative importance of selection criteria as linked to leadership

• Guidelines on talent identification for current leaders – what evidence to look for to identify emerging leaders, what steps to take after identification (i.e. What is the leadership pathway?)

• Guidance on transitions – what are the components of an effective transition process?

Managing data

This team will have an ongoing role analysing and managing data related to WA’s human resources:

• Use of performance management data to identify potential leadership talent (1.1)

• Use of future vacancy, performance management, and selection data to perform long-term succession planning (1.2)

• Gathering of data from outgoing and incoming principals on what is working and not working in regard to transitions (1.4)

• Collecting data on applicants (selected and not selected) as part of the selection process and linking to performance management data to determine whether selection criteria accurately predicted candidate success to refine selection process accordingly (1.5)

• Collecting and analysing performance management data to identify people for development opportunities (3.3)

If it is no one’s job then it is the job of no one

GOVERNANCE AND LEADERSHIP

Connecting the Western Australian Department of Education Proposed

Public School Leadership Strategy to an inquiry-based school improvement model

Appendix A

Learning First 2016 109

Implementing the leadership strategy and system-wide reform

• High-quality pipeline of future leaders

• Appraisal and feedback to continually improve school leaders

• Targeted development for leaders

• System leadership positions and pathways to develop all WA schools

• A new framework for collaboration, networks and professional conversations in WA schools

Talent ID & selection


System leadership


But school principals are influenced by many aspects of an education system. Their practices are more likely to be influenced by planning requirements, regulations and accountability.

Performance management has a large influence on people’s behaviour but this is a longer term reform so the importance of other system factors increases in the short and medium-term.

Implementation of the leadership strategy needs to align to:

1. School improvement model 2. Commensurate planning, reporting and

accountability requirements

Leadership strategy delivers on key reforms to ensure:

System reform

APPENDIX A


What does an effective inquiry-based school improvement model look like?

Prioritisation of objectives • Change management moves systems

to a future state or vision: • Identify a small number of goals

based on gaps in the needs analysis & system objectives;

• SIM goals should be specific, measurable, attainable, results-oriented, time-bound.

Developing new actions to try • What actions and strategies can be

called on to achieve SIM goals? • Are your strategies differentiated to

meet different learning groups? • What is the evidence that your

strategies will work? • What resources (financial, human,

technological, professional) do you need to support these strategies?

Needs analysis • What do we know about student achievement, compared to our

system objectives for student learning? • Provides a clear rationale for change, as teachers and school

leaders focusing on their students’ needs; • Creates ownership over processes.

Monitor • What does success look like? How will you know? • What is your implementation and monitoring plan? Are you making

the most of your data? Who is responsible for this? • What are your measurable outcomes? What data do you need?

Evaluate impact • What is the evidence that SIM

goals are being met? • How will the lessons from this

SIM cycle be applied to future improvement planning?

• What gaps remain in your SIM plan? How can these be addressed?

Needs analysis

Objectives

Actions Monitoring

Evaluation

APPENDIX A


Needs analysis

Objectives

Actions Monitoring

Evaluation

Leadership strategy and an inquiry-based school improvement model

This leadership strategy complements this approach to school improvement and implementation considerations have been designed accordingly. This ensures students are placed at the heart of the leadership strategy, reinforcing Classroom First and other WA policies.

Leadership strategy



System leadership


Inquiry-based school improvement model

Talent identification and selection: WA should identify and select leaders who are skilled at operationalising the inquiry-based school improvement model

Leadership development: Programs to develop leaders should be anchored in supporting the inquiry-based school improvement model

System leadership: Networks and school partnerships should follow the inquiry approach

Performance management: Feedback and coaching should follow an inquiry cycle, and leaders should be evaluated on how well they develop others to operationalise the school improvement model

Examples of how the two interact:

Systems including British Columbia, Ontario, Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Singapore use various forms of an inquiry-based school improvement model. They require schools to:

1. Conduct a needs analysis based on student learning outcomes 2. Prioritisation of objectives and problem of practice to improve teaching and learning 3. Actions and resources to improve teaching (and increase collaboration) 4. Monitoring changes in instruction and student learning 5. Evaluation to determine if and how student learning was improved

These are the steps for school leaders to improve schools. So the school improvement model must be linked to the leadership strategy.

APPENDIX A

Detail on prioritising policies

Appendix B


Prioritising policies and actions: details for talent identification and selection

Policy actions

Actions for policy implementation Impact (L, M, H)

Difficulty of

implementation*

Cost – upfront

(L, M, H)

Type of cost - upfront Cost – ongoing (L, M, H)

Type of cost - ongoing

Benefits accrue

(ST, MT, LT)

(1.1) Better talent identification

Provide guidance on how to identify and develop talent

M L L Design and distribute guidance L Annual updates to guidance ST

Encourage leaders to spend time on talent identification

M M L Communications L Integration into performance management training and guidance

MT

Ensure there are clearly articulated pathways for talent

M L L Design and communications L Annual updates MT

In the longer-term, use performance management data to identify talent

H H L Planning for future integration of data

M Costs mostly associated with expanding performance management data system to provide dashboards for use in talent identification

LT


Ensure an appointed actor is responsible for succession planning

L M M Establish a responsible team – could be leadership talent team

M Cost of team MT

Conduct advanced planning M M L Planning time L Ongoing planning from succession planning team MT

Use performance management data to undertake identification and development of potential successors

M H L Planning for what data is needed M Costs mostly associated with expanding performance management data system to provide dashboards for use in succession planning

LT

(1.3) Better selection processes

Expand selection activities to be more comprehensive

M M M Design and implement pilots for additional selection activities

M Continuous monitoring of processes and updating based on what works best

ST

Link selection criteria to the leadership priorities L L L Communication to selection panels

L Adjustments based on changing priorities MT

Link performance management data to the selection process

M H L Planning for how data will be used in the future

M Costs mostly associated with expanding performance management data system to provide dashboards for use in selection

LT

(1.4) Better transition

Ensure system accountability for school transition L M M Establish a responsible team – could be leadership talent team

M Cost of team ST

Issue high-level guidance L L L Write and disseminate guidance L Ongoing updates ST

Begin the selection process earlier L M L Team responsible for succession planning [1.2] to identify vacancies and candidates earlier

N/A Costs captured in [1.2] team responsible for succession planning activities (this could be the leadership talent team)

MT

Provide support for early transition L L M Cost of relief time M Cost of relief time ST

(1.5) Better data

Connect talent identification and selection to performance management data

M M H Establish a data system to begin storing selection process data

H Data team and system capable of linking selection data with performance management data [3.3] and conducting analysis

LT

Continuously refine the selection process M M H Establish data system H Team responsible for refining process LT

APPENDIX B

*Difficulty of implementation takes into account complexity of policy, size of roll out, number of departments / stakeholders involved, extent to which policy leverages an existing program and amount of behavioral change required.


Prioritising policies and actions: details for leadership development

Policy actions Actions for policy implementation

Impact (L, M,

H)

Difficulty of

implementation*

Cost – upfront

(L, M, H)



Benefits accrue (ST,

MT, LT)

(2.1) Establish LDSs

Select leadership development schools

M M Model A – L

Model B – L

Model A – Leverages existing program

Model B – Internship design

Model A – L

Model B – M

Model A – Small grants

Model B – Leader relief time

MT

(2.2) Develop emerging talent

Create a fast track talent management program

M M H Program design H Team managing participants, development & training costs, mentor relief time, relief time of leader

MT

(2.3) Better and targeted principal preparation and differentiated development programs

Set clear objectives for training

M L L Communication vehicles (e.g. handouts, emails)

L Communication vehicles (e.g. handouts, emails)

ST

Design selection and performance management criteria that will motivate principals to attend training in the system’s leadership priorities

H H N/A See cost of policies 1.3 and 3.1 N/A See cost of policies 1.3 and 3.1 LT

Create an evaluative framework

H H M Development of evaluative framework

M Internal reporting on programs, oversight and coordination of provider evaluation

MT

(2.4) Provide access to mentors for all principals

Expand the PAT and develop a mentoring framework

M L L Training of the PAT (extension of existing program, design of framework

M Expansion of the PAT (salaries), refining framework

ST

(2.5) Target country regions for extra development

Offer additional support for principals in regional and remote schools

M H H Program design H Team coordinating the program support, development & training costs, mentor relief time, travel costs, specialised expertise

MT

Create executive principals for clusters of small schools in regional locations

M M M Rigorous recruitment and selection of executive principals, development & training

M Executive principal salaries, additional training and support

MT

APPENDIX B



Prioritising policies and actions: details for performance management

Policy actions Actions for policy implementation Impact (L, M,

H)

Difficulty of

implementation*

Cost – upfront

(L, M, H)

Type of cost - upfront

Cost – ongoing (L, M, H)



MT, LT)

(3.1) Assess the level of support principals receive based on analysis of experience and performance

Use a combination of data and professional judgement to differentiate levels of principal performance

H M L Data compilation M Funding additional staff to provide assessment and professional judgement

LT


Recommend differentiated levels of support for principals so they can implement an effective school improvement process to improve student outcomes.

H M L See costs of 3.1 M Additional time of the PAT, ERG costs MT

(3.3) Systematically collect performance management data

Systematically collect performance management data so that it can inform system decisions on selection, development and succession planning

H M M Creating a prototype tool for collecting performance management data

H Establishing a data management system that can easily store data linked to individuals and produce timely dashboards that aid in decision-making

LT

(3.4) Develop a stronger performance management culture and skills

Strengthen the quality of performance management to focus professional conversations on teacher and leader performance to improve student outcomes

H H M Offering guidance and setting expectations

M Refining guidance, providing training LT

APPENDIX B



Prioritising policies and actions: details for system leadership

Policy actions Actions for policy implementation

Impact (L, M,

H)

Difficulty of implementa

tion*

Cost – upfront

(L, M, H)




MT, LT)

(4.1) Create more system leadership opportunities

Identify principal capability leaders

H M L Rigorous recruitment and selection of capability leaders

M Principal relief time, travel costs MT

Offer guidance for principal learning teams

M M M Design theory of action and guidelines

L Small grants for principal learning teams

MT

Repurpose the networks M M M Communications, redesign N/A Existing funding for networks MT

(4.2) Increase peer support

Create a school pairing program

M H M Design model and supporting tools

M Grants to schools MT

(4.3) Increase mobility

Explore options to increase mobility among senior leaders including consideration of fixed term contracts and limited tenure

M M TBC - bargainin

g

Negotiations, award / agreement changes, contract drafting

M Managing transitions, more frequent selection process

LT


Recognise system leadership in multiple ways (including selection decisions)

M L N/A IPS and leadership awards are pre-existing, performance management and selection costs are covered in policies 1.3 and 3.1

M IPS Fellows program costs, see cost of policies 1.3 and 3.1

ST


Provide effective coordination across all policy areas and actions linking across school, regions and central office – this could be done through a new Department leadership talent team

H M M Staffing, coordination (could be leadership talent team)

M Staffing, coordination (could be leadership talent team)

MT


APPENDIX B

western australian department of education proposed public

Documents